New information on VA deaths at Clarksburg Medical Center

CHARLESTON, W. Va. (WOWK) — As of now two deaths at the VA Hospital are being investigated as homicides, and a third death of a veteran may eventually be handled that way. Charleston attorney Tony O’Dell has now been hired by a sixth family that believes their relative died under suspicious circumstances, similar to the other cases.

“The family indicated that their loved one was on 3-A, that he was expecting to get out and all of a sudden had a sudden turn for the worse and died the day that he had the turn. So, we’ve got to get into the records and find out why that happened,” said Tony O’Dell, an attorney for VA victims.

So far the cases of Army Sergeant Felix McDermott and Air Force veteran George Shaw are listed as homicides, though no one has been arrested yet. 87-year-old Navy veteran John Hallman died at the hospital last summer under suspicious circumstances but has yet to be ruled a homicide. Senator Joe Manchin warned the VA of a potential U.S. Senate investigation – now he’s calling for one.

“And I am very upset. Basically we are not getting straight answers. It’s just taking too long. And we’re going to start our own. We have to. We will start our own investigation. We’ll bring them in under oath and find out what really happened,” said Sen. Joe Manchin, (D-West Virginia).

The investigation has now gone on for more than 15-months. One reason why this investigation may be so long is the sheer number of cases. We are told there are 10 to 12 suspicious deaths at the Clarksburg VA hospital, and that investigators may be looking for more.