Searights shooting victim identified, 2 charged with homicide
Grooms
Roberto M. Esquivel|Herald-Standard
State police are investigating the apparent killing of a man in the Village of Searights in Menallen Township. Ambulances were dispatched to a home there around 3:20 a.m. Tuesday.
A man shot after an apparent attempted home invasion in the Village of Searights on Tuesday has been identified. Police issued warrants for two suspects who are charged with homicide.
Trenton Grooms, 27, was pronounced dead at the scene around 6 a.m. by a deputy coroner, according to a news release from the coroner’s office.
Vincent Irving Jones, 27, of Charleston, West Virginia, and a man known only to police as “Cuz” were both charged with criminal homicide and conspiracy to commit homicide.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, “Cuz” and Jones, also known as James Allen Cheeks, arrived at 214 Village of Searights in Menallen Township at about 1 a.m. Tuesday. Police said the resident of the upstairs apartment, Karen Clevenger, was inside along with two other women and several children.
Police said Clevenger went to sleep in her bedroom, leaving the other adults in the living room.
At about 3:15 a.m., police said Grooms parked in front of the neighboring apartment and walked around the corner. Police said he was observed on surveillance footage until he disappeared around the corner.
Clevenger told police Grooms broke her window and climbed inside. Police said he then went into the living room, where “Cuz” and Jones confronted him. Jones allegedly fired four rounds at Grooms, hitting him once in the right leg above the knee. Jones and “Cuz” allegedly punched him as he tried to leave.
Grooms fled the scene, driving about half a mile down State Route 40 before he wrecked into a tree, according to police.
Police said “Cuz” and Jones fled the scene.
An autopsy performed on Grooms on Tuesday morning revealed hypovolemic shock due to a gunshot wound.
Further results are pending other studies and toxicology tests.