It's a room where much of the investigation into the 2003 sniper killings happened.
It's known as the sniper room. It is a near museum of nine years worth of investigation material, all focused on the case against the only person convicted in the killings: Shawn Lester.
"He's always been on the radar," said Charleston Police Lt. Steve Cooper. "He has never not been a suspect in this case."
After Lester pleaded guilty Monday to a single charge of second degree murder, investigators are now able to release never before heard details into the case.
We had witnesses willing to testify that (Lester and Tito Lopez) were making $60,000 a week selling methamphetamine," said Cooper.
The theft of a unique pink meth from a Kanawha County garage is the believed catalyst that lead to the triple murder. Investigators laid out a web of evidence, tying victims to each other, to witnesses and ultimately Shawn Lester.
Prosecutors would tie victims Gary Carrier and Jeannie Patton to the drug theft, but Okie Meadows Jr. never fit. He was never tied to the drug theft. Police had witnesses that would have testified that Lester knew Meadows as early as childhood, when the two rode the bus together.
According to investigators, Meadows was killed to throw investigators off.
"We had witnesses prepared to testify that Lester had told them the way you get by with a murder was to kill someone that is not directly affiliated with your motive for killing," said Cooper.
Police believe Lester was not alone in the Green Ford Bronco during the shootings. Witnesses led police to Rodney Shafer Sr. was also believed to be in the car. He died years ago.
The Mexican drug dealer, Tito Lopez, that investigators say was tied to the meth sales has still not been found, but could still be dealing drugs.
"There's information that he has been trafficking large amounts of drugs between Mexico and Texas," said Cooper.
It's an investigation that ended with a guilty plea instead of a trial. It was, according to Cooper, the result of hundreds of investigators working for justice
"Everybody involved from the beginning worked tirelessly."
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