MASON COUNTY, WV (WOWK) – An Ohio man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for killing a man in Mason County, West Virginia.

According to Mason County Prosecuting Attorney Seth Gaskins, Bobby Wolford was sentenced today, Aug. 21, 2023, to life without mercy for first-degree murder. He was also sentenced to one to five years for a charge of concealment of a deceased human body, and one to five years for conspiracy. The sentences are to be served consecutively.

Wolford was found guilty on all charges on Aug. 3, 2023. In January, a grand jury indicted Wolford and Rikki Parsons-Wise, of Racine, Ohio, on murder, robbery, conspiracy and concealment of a deceased human body charges in connection to the death of a man.

On March 8, 2022, West Virginia State Police said the body of a man was found in a secluded area along the road in the 600 block of Carson Road around 5:20 p.m. 

An autopsy was completed and troopers identified the victim as John Michael Gomez, 30, of Middleport, Ohio.

Wolford was already in custody when he was charged. Parsons-Wise was arrested about two weeks later in Cleveland. She was extradited to West Virginia.