On August 26, 2014 Corporal J. T. Snyder of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office responded to a burglary on Tangle Wood Road in Cross Lanes, WV. The resident dialed 911 after a neighbor spotted an open window on the back of her house. The resident drove to her home and waited on law enforcement to arrive.
Corporal Snyder documented the scene, then began searching for evidence. He found several fingerprints at the point of entry. The victim reported jewels stolen from her bedroom.
The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office’s crime scene technician, Detective Ingram (retired Charleston Police Department detective), examined the evidence. He submitted the fingerprint lifts to the West Virginia State Police Lab. When the print was compared to databases a match was found.
At the conclusion of the investigation the victim’s next door neighbor, Mekell Hodges (32 years old of Cross Lanes, WV) was arrested. She was arrested on February 9, 2015 and charged with burglary. Corporal Snyder processed Ms. Hodges, then took her to arraignment at Kanawha County Magistrate Court where Magistrate Halloran set a bond of $5,000.00 personal recognizance.
Attached is a mug shot of Ms. Hodges. As is always the case in criminal matters, the charge against her is merely an accusation. She is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Corporal B. D. Humphreys
Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
301 Virginia Street East,
Charleston WV 25301
desk: 304-357-0732 / cell: 304-951-7328
Follow us on Twitter: @kanawhasheriff
