Daniel J. Palmer III had lengthy been thought-about the important thing suspect in a brutal assault that left his sister comatose two years in the past. However the case remained dormant till she awoke final month.
Capable of converse solely a phrase at a time after popping out of a coma, Wanda Palmer recognized her brother — with whom she had a violent previous — as her attacker. Daniel Palmer was arrested on July 15.
Lower than every week later, he was useless, seemingly bringing a near a extremely uncommon case by which the investigation was stalled by a scarcity of proof.
For now, there are two mysteries: a detainee's dying, and an assault with out a publicly disclosed motive.
Daniel Palmer was pronounced useless Thursday at a Charleston hospital, a day after he was taken there following an analysis by jail medical workers, the state Division of Homeland Safety, which oversees the Division of Corrections, mentioned in a information launch.
The assertion did not point out a explanation for dying. A spokeswoman for the Division of Well being and Human Assets, which oversees the state medical expert's workplace, mentioned state regulation solely permits the company to launch post-mortem info to kinfolk and regulation enforcement.
Palmer, 55, of Cottageville, was uncooperative whereas in custody and through reserving procedures on the South Central Regional Jail, the place he was taken after being charged with the tried homicide and malicious wounding of his sister, the assertion mentioned.
Wanda Palmer was in a coma in a nursing house for 2 years. She was discovered unconscious with severe head accidents at her house in Jackson County on June 10, 2020.
Daniel Palmer had been recognized as a suspect, however up till the time she emerged from the coma, investigators didn't have sufficient proof to file costs, courtroom paperwork mentioned.
"As a consequence of a earlier violent historical past between Wanda Palmer and her brother Daniel Palmer, investigators initially thought-about Daniel a suspect within the assault," in accordance with a felony grievance filed in Jackson County Justice of the Peace Court docket.
Investigators interviewed Daniel, who denied involvement within the assault, saying he had not been to his sister's house in days. Later, a witness instructed investigators he noticed Daniel within the entrance doorway at Wanda Palmer's trailer on the night time she was assaulted.
On June 27, greater than two years after the assault, a deputy obtained a name from a protecting companies employee who mentioned she had began to talk single phrases and appeared to reply when questioned.
On July 12, deputies drove to Genesis Healthcare in New Martinsville to talk with Wanda Palmer. Deputy Julia Bowen "entered Wanda's room alone and commenced talking together with her," the grievance mentioned. "Bowen requested opened ended questions of Wanda. Wanda indicated (that) she recalled residing in her trailer close to her mom's place. She indicated that she recalled being damage there. She made point out of her head."
Wanda Palmer mentioned the one that injured her was her brother and she or he recognized him as Daniel. When requested throughout the interview the explanation behind the assault, "Wanda said that he was imply," in accordance with the grievance.
Wanda Palmer "appeared oriented to her scenario. Her solutions to questions have been coherent and related. She requested for prayer."
Daniel Palmer was being held on a $500,000 bond. He was so combative when he was arrested that it took hours to get him to cooperate with authorities for an arraignment, which required a Justice of the Peace to depart a courthouse and are available to the Jackson County sheriff's workplace, WCHS-TV reported.
Jackson County Sheriff Ross Mellinger was out of his workplace and unavailable for remark Friday.