Story by Alex Wiederspiel, MetroNews/WKMZ
IRELAND, W.Va. — It could still be another week until four of the five victims in a Lewis County fire are identified.
Lewis County Sheriff David Gosa confirmed Wednesday morning that additional testing may be required — including DNA and dental records — in the effort to identify those killed in the March 11 fire in the small community of Ireland.
“We’re chugging right along,” Gosa said.
Gosa said investigators are “leaning” a certain direction as far as motive but are not yet at a point where they feel comfortable releasing that information.
“We’re doing the best we can to cover all our bases,” he added.
Luke Wilson, 45, of Walkersville took his own life in Kanawha County in the hours after the fire. He was a suspect in the fire that destroyed a home on Glady Creek Road.
“We believe this to be an isolated incident,” Gosa said.
Ireland, a remote and unincorporated Lewis County community with an estimated population of fewer than 500, lies near the Lewis-Braxton line along US 19. Walkersville, also on US 19, is the next closest community in the county.
Investigators have acknowledged it is possible that the victims could have died during the fire or were already dead when the fire occurred.
Lockard, a Walkerville native, told MetroNews last week the family was “frustrated” by the delay in the discovery.
Gosa said they were still in the process of conducting interviews.