Wayne County murder arrest

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WAYNE, W.Va. — A Wayne County man faces charges related to the death of his girlfriend.

According to West Virginia State Police, Shawn Dale Carter, 44, of Wayne strangled Connie Sue Slone with a ligature.

Authorities responded to a state Route 152 residence. A trooper spoke to Carter, who said he saw Slone alive around 4:30 a.m. Carter added he saw Carter’s body in front of a bedroom doorway around 5 a.m.

Slone’s daughter told authorities Cater and Slone had frequent verbal disagreements, and the woman requested troopers look for any physical marks on the victim’s body. A medical examiner found redness on Slone’s back and neck.

Carter later told troopers he found Slone hanging from a pink scarf on the bedroom coat rack, and he cut her down with a knife. Carter also said Slone attempted to kill herself with a dog leash.

A crime scene analyst determined the markings on Slone’s body were consistent with marks from a cord.

Carter has been charged with second-degree murder and strangulation. He was taken to the Western Regional Jail.