Man convicted in hunting bow death

LEWISBURG, W.Va. (AP, WVNS) – A Greenbrier County man has been convicted of volunteer manslaughter in the shooting of a man with a hunting bow.

Jurors found 25-year-old Carl Wayne Rich of Charmco guilty Friday in the June 2018 death of 29-year-old Jeffery Booth.

Rich testified he threatened Booth with the bow but did not intentionally shoot him. Rich says Booth had startled him and the bow accidentally fired.

According to a criminal complaint, Rich believed Booth had taken his cell phone. A witness testified at the trial that the phone was later found at the home of someone else.

Rich initially was charged with first-degree murder.