The body of a West Virginia teenager who had been reported missing was found at the residence where her stepfather faced accusations of mistreatment, just days before her remains were located. The 16-year-old, identified as Shalyn Harvey, was discovered at a property in Big Chimney, West Virginia, on May 15. The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the identity of the remains on May 18.
Shortly after Harvey was reported missing, her stepfather, James Truman, 52, was arrested on unrelated charges of incest and sexual abuse involving a minor. The teenager was last seen in the vicinity where her body was eventually found, two days before she was reported missing on May 4.
Law enforcement initially suspected that Harvey had left with someone in a blue Dodge Ram pickup truck. Following an investigation, a search warrant was obtained for the property in Big Chimney, where Shalyn resided with her mother and Truman. The cause of Harvey’s death has not been disclosed, but authorities are treating it as a homicide.
Truman remains in custody at Kanawha County Jail on a $100,000 cash bond, although he has not been charged in connection with his stepdaughter’s death. The case has been transferred to Kanawha County Circuit Court for further proceedings. The ongoing investigation by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office aims to uncover more details surrounding the tragic incident.
