Fayette County Sheriff’s Office gives insight into 911 call made by shooter just before double murder-suicide

FAYETTE COUNTY, W.Va. (WVVA) - Law enforcement in Fayette County is providing details into the call 24-year-old Jesse Dech made to 911 before killing two relatives and taking his own life earlier this month.

Chief Deputy Shannon Morris with the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office says Dech made the call to 911 on Wednesday, September 6. On that call, he told dispatchers that he was planning to commit suicide; however, Morris says, before Dech could do so, he shot and killed his two uncles, 60-year-old James Shrader and 59-year-old Henry Shrader, inside a residence at 366 Legends Highways on Route 16 in Mount Hope.

“For some unknown reason, he shot one of his uncles and, after hearing the gunfire, I guess his other uncle was next door, in the area, or coming to the residence to see what was going on and seen that Mr. Dech had shot a man and he tried to flee and while fleeing the residence Mr. Dech shot him also,” Morris said.

During that 911 call, Dech also told operators that he would hurt any law enforcement who arrived on the scene before he could commit suicide. His body was also found inside the home when police arrived on the scene. All three men died from gunshot wounds.

Morris tells WVVA that the nature of this crime has made it very challenging for them to conduct an investigation.

“It’s extremely difficult for our investigators, our detectives, and even, you know, the family members involved,” he shared. “It was just a bunch of unanswered questions that we are unable to determine where everybody involved has passed away.”

WVVA also asked law enforcement about the materials found inside that residence on Legends Highways that were indicative of a pressure bomb. Morris says they cannot release any information about those materials at this time, but says an update on that investigation can be expected by the end of the week.

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