Photo Caption: Randall Douglas Woods, 62, of Clendenin, appears in court on Sept. 21. Woods was in court again Wednesday, when he pleaded not guilty to charges related to the death of David Elmore. Photo Credit: Craig Hudson | Gazette-Mail
By: Lacie Pierson Staff Writer | Posted: Dec. 13, 2017 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail
A Clendenin man accused of killing one of his neighbors pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges against him Wednesday.
Randall Douglas Woods, 62, was indicted last week on one count each of first-degree murder, malicious wounding and wanton endangerment.
Kanawha Circuit Judge Joanna Tabit scheduled Woods’ trial for April 9 during his arraignment Wednesday morning.
Tabit also approved a motion to appoint a new attorney for Woods after his first attorney, Dan Holstein, cited a conflict in the case.
Woods was represented Wednesday by Rick Holroyd, who told Tabit that attorney John Carr had agreed to represent Woods throughout the remaining proceedings in the case.
Woods is accused of killing David Elmore, 31, during the afternoon of Aug. 23, following years of hostility between the men.
Cora Elmore, 38, reported she and David Elmore were driving in a truck on Laurel Road that day when Woods approached them on an ATV and “began mouthing off,” Kanawha Sheriff Lt. S.D. Ferrell wrote in the criminal complaint filed in Kanawha County Magistrate Court.
David Elmore sprayed Woods with bug spray, and Woods responded by firing one shot into the truck, according to the complaint.
The bullet hit both Cora and David Elmore, Ferrell said. David Elmore was hit in the chest, and Cora Elmore suffered a wound in one of her arms.
David Elmore was declared dead at the scene, lying in the roadway, where people performed CPR on him prior to law enforcement’s arrival, Ferrell said.
Ferrell said Woods admitted to firing his gun into Elmore’s truck when he was questioned by deputies the day David Elmore died.
Woods is incarcerated at South Central Regional Jail.
Reach Lacie Pierson at lacie.pierson@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-1723 or follow @laciepierson on Twitter.
