West Virginia man accused of putting his sister in a 2-year coma dies in custody

Daniel J. Palmer III had lengthy been thought of the important thing suspect in a brutal assault that left his sister comatose two years in the past. But the case remained dormant till she awoke final month.

Able to talk 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.

Less than a week later, he was lifeless, seemingly bringing a near a extremely uncommon case in which the investigation was stalled by a lack 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 lifeless Thursday at a Charleston hospital, a day after he was taken there following an analysis by jail medical workers, the state Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Division of Corrections, stated in a news launch.

The assertion did not point out a trigger of dying. A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Resources, which oversees the state medical expert’s workplace, stated state legislation solely permits the company to launch post-mortem information to kin and legislation 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 stated.

Wanda Palmer was in a coma in a nursing residence for 2 years. She was discovered unconscious with critical head accidents at her residence 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, court docket paperwork stated.

“Due to a previous violent history between Wanda Palmer and her brother Daniel Palmer, investigators initially considered Daniel a suspect in the assault,” in keeping with a prison grievance filed in Jackson County Magistrate Court.

Investigators interviewed Daniel, who denied involvement in the assault, saying he had not been to his sister’s residence in days. Later, a witness informed investigators he noticed Daniel in 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 acquired a name from a protecting providers employee who stated 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 began speaking with her,” the grievance stated. “Bowen asked opened ended questions of Wanda. Wanda indicated (that) she recalled living in her trailer near her mother’s place. She indicated that she recalled being hurt there. She made mention of her head.”

Wanda Palmer stated the one that injured her was her brother and she or he recognized him as Daniel. When requested through the interview the rationale behind the assault, “Wanda stated that he was mean,” in keeping with the grievance.

Wanda Palmer “appeared oriented to her situation. Her answers to questions were coherent and relevant. She asked 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 go away 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.