UPDATE: Man sentenced to life with mercy for murder of former coal executive
A man who pleaded guilty to the death of a former coal executive was sentenced Thursday to life with mercy, the Mingo County Prosecutor says.
Brandon Lee Fitzpatrick of Louisa, Kentucky, will be eligible for parole after serving 15 years.
Fitzpatrick was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Bennett K. Hatfield. Hatfield, 59, was shot during a robbery while visiting his wife's gravesite in May 2016.
A second man, Anthony Arriaga, was sentenced last month to life with mercy for Hatfield's death.
A man was sentenced Tuesday to life with mercy for the shooting death of a former coal executive last year, the Mingo County Sheriff says.
Anthony Arriaga also was sentenced to two one- to five-year terms for conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit murder.
Arriaga was convicted in October of first-degree murder for the shooting death of Bennett K. Hatfield.
Hatfield, 59, was shot while visiting his wife's gravesite in May 2016.
A second man, Brandon Lee Fitzpatrick of Louisa, Kentucky, pleaded guilty earlier this month for Hatfield's death.
A second man has been convicted of murder in the shooting of a coal executive in West Virginia last year.
The Williamson Daily News reports that 20-year-old Brandon Lee Fitzpatrick, of Louisa, Kentucky, pleaded guilty Thursday in the death of Bennett K. Hatfield.
Fitzpatrick admitted he was with 22-year-old Anthony Raheem Arriaga, of Delphos, Ohio, when Arriaga killed Hatfield in a scheme to steal his GMC Yukon Denali and sell its parts. Arriaga was convicted in October of murder, robbery and conspiracy.
Hatfield, 59, was shot while visiting his wife's gravesite in May, a year after he resigned as CEO and president of Patriot Coal, which filed for bankruptcy citing low coal prices and falling demand.
A trial has begun for the second of two men accused in the 2016 deadly shooting of a West Virginia coal executive.
News outlets report Monday was the first trial day for 20-year-old Brandon Lee Fitzpatrick, a Kentucky man charged with offenses including first-degree murder in the death of 59-year-old Bennett K. Hatfield.
Mingo County Prosecutor Duke Jewell says Fitzpatrick and an Ohio man, 22-year-old Anthony Raheem Arriaga, killed Hatfield as part of a scheme to steal his vehicle and sell its parts. Hatfield was visiting his wife's gravesite when he was shot.
Arriaga was convicted in October of first-degree murder, robbery and conspiracy. Arriaga is expected to get life in prison at his Dec. 12 sentencing.
Fitzpatrick's defense attorney, Susan Van Zant, says Arriaga acted alone in killing Hatfield.
The trial of the second of two men accused in the 2016 fatal shooting of a West Virginia coal executive has been delayed.
News outlets report that the murder trial for 20-year-old Brandon Lee Fitzpatrick, of Kentucky, was pushed last week from Nov. 13 to Dec. 4 to allow attorneys time to receive and process transcripts from the trial of 22-year-old Anthony Raheem Arriaga.
Authorities say 59-year-old Bennett K. Hatfield was visiting his wife's gravesite when he was shot in May 2016. Prosecutors say the men killed Hatfield as part of a scheme to steal his vehicle and sell its parts. Hatfield had resigned in 2015 as Patriot Coal's president and CEO.
Arriaga was convicted last month of first-degree murder, robbery and conspiracy, and sentenced to life in prison.
The jury has returned a verdict in the case of a man accused of murdering former coal executive Bennett "Ben" Hatfield.
According to the Mingo County Sheriff, Anthony Arriaga has been found guilty on all counts, including first degree murder, first degree robbery and two counts of conspiracy.
The conviction comes with a life sentence, but today the jury recommended he be granted mercy.
Hatfield was shot and killed at a cemetery in Mingo County back in May of 2016. The incident happened as he was tending to his late wife's grave.
Another suspect, Brandon Fitzpatrick, also is charged in Hatfield's murder. His trial is set to start November 6.
The trial for one of the suspects accused of murdering a former coal executive is underway in Mingo County.
Jury selection happened Monday morning in the Anthony Arriaga case, and the trial started afterward.
Arriaga is charged in the May 2016 shooting death of Ben Hatfield, an executive at Patriot Coal. Hatfield was shot while tending his late wife's grave during the Memorial Day holiday.
Another suspect, Brandon Fitzpatrick, also is charged in Hatfield's murder. His trial is set to start Nov. 6.
Keep checking WSAZ Mobile and WSAZ.com for the latest information.
MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Trial dates have been set for two men accused of murdering a former coal executive.
Anthony Arriaga's trial date will be Sept. 25, and Brandon Fitzpatrick's trial is set for Oct. 5.
Both were in court Thursday for pretrial hearings.
In May 2016, Ben Hatfield, an executive at Patriot Coal, was at a cemetery in Mingo County -- tending to his late wife's grave, as he always did during the Memorial Day holiday.
Investigators say Hatfield was robbed, then shot and killed by Fitzpatrick and Arriaga.
MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A man accused of murdering a former coal executive will head to trial in August.
That was the outcome Friday of a pretrial hearing for Brandon Fitzpatrick in Mingo County.
The trial date was pushed back because another lawyer is joining the defense team.
Fitzpatrick is accused of murdering Ben Hatfield. Last May, the Patriot Coal executive was visiting a cemetery in Mingo County -- tending to his late wife's grave, as he always did during the Memorial Day holiday.
That's when investigators say he was robbed by Fitzpatrick and the second suspect Anthony Arriaga.
MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A man indicted in the murder of a former coal company executive pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree murder and robbery charges, the Mingo County Prosecutor's Office says.
Anthony Arriaga, 20, of Gibsonburg, Ohio, is one of two men indicted in the murder of Ben Hatfield. Arriaga showed remorse for Hatfield's death on Tuesday, according to the prosecutor's office.
Hatfield was found shot to death in the Mountain View Memory Gardens Cemetery in Mingo County in May 2016. Hatfield was visiting there at that time to decorate his wife's grave for Memorial Day.
The recommended sentence is life on the murder charge and 40 degrees on the robbery charge.
Sentencing is set May 17.
Brandon Fitzpatrick, 18, of Louisa, Kentucky, was supposed to go on trial this week, but it has been continued to a later date.
MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Two men have been indicted in the murder of a former coal company executive.
According to the Williamson Daily News, Anthony Arriaga, 20, of Gibsonburg, Ohio and Brandon Fitzpatrick, 18, of Louisa have both been indicted on charges related to first-degree murder.
Arriaga and Fitzpatrick were also charged with conspiracy to commit murder, robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery, according to the Williamson Daily News.
Ben Hatfield was found shot to death in the Mountain View Memory Gardens Cemetery in Mingo County in May 2016.
Mingo County Sheriff James Smith told WSAZ in May Hatfield was visiting his wife's grave, and decorating it for Memorial Day, as he had done for the past seven years.
MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The case against a man charged with murdering former coal executive Ben Hatfield is being sent to the grand jury.
Anthony Arriaga's case was bound over during a preliminary hearing in Mingo County.
He is charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy in the murder of Hatfield.
The other suspect in the case, Brandon Fitzpatrick, waived his right to a preliminary hearing. His case was also bound over to the grand jury.
Both men are being held in jail without bond.
Ben Hatfield was found shot to death in the Mountain View Memory Gardens Cemetery in Mingo County last month. He had been reported missing after not returning to Kanawha County.
MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The Mingo County Sheriff's Office has released new details in the murder of former coal executive Ben Hatfield.
Ben Hatfield was found shot to death in the Mountain View Memory Gardens Cemetery in Mingo County early Monday morning. He had been reported missing after not returning to Kanawha County.
Sheriff James Smith says around 1 p.m. Sunday, Hatfield was cleaning his wife and in-laws' graves when Anthony Arriaga, 20, of Gibsonburg, Ohio, and Brandon Fitzpatrick, 18, of Louisa, Kentucky pulled up to the cemetery.
Sheriff Smith says the men pulled in to the cemetery with intentions of stealing Hatfield's SUV, so they could get money for it.
Smith says the men did not want to leave any witnesses and that Arriaga walked up behind Hatfield and shot twice at him, hitting him once in the back.
Sheriff Smith says Hatfield ran for cover over the riverbank.
He says Arriaga also went over the riverbank after he panicked, and Fitzpatrick drove off, leaving Arriaga there. Investigators say Fitzpatrick thought Arriaga was going to take Hatfield's keys and follow him. However neither men stole anything from Hatfield or his vehicle.
Smith says Arriaga dropped the gun in the river, and took off his clothes because they were wet from going over the riverbank.
Sheriff Smith says Arriaga went to a home near the cemetery and asked for a ride to Wayne.
When he got to Wayne, Sheriff Smith says Arriaga walked to Ricky Peterson's home. He says Arriaga and Peterson went to junior high together. Fitzpatrick drove to Peterson's home to pick Arriaga up, Sheriff Smith said.
Arriaga was arrested Tuesday in Allen County, Ohio after investigators were able to ping his cell phone.
Fitzpatrick was picked up Wednesday in Eslmere, Kentucky on drug charges after a traffic stop.
Both men have been charged with conspiracy and murder, in what Sheriff Smith is calling a random act of violence.
Ricky Peterson has also been arrested and charged with accessory after the fact.
When Fitzpatrick was arrested, investigators say Arriaga's mother, Angela Marcum, was in the vehicle with him. She is facing drug charges, but no charges connected with the murder.
Arriaga was arraigned Thursday in Mingo County. He is being held without bond and is expected to be back in court next month.
An extradition hearing was scheduled for Patrick on Thursday.
Peterson is scheduled to be in court again next week.
Keep clicking on WSAZ Mobile and WSAZ.com for the latest on this story.
MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A murder suspect is being held without bond after returning to West Virginia.
Anthony Arriaga, 20, was arraigned Thursday in Mingo County on a murder charge.
West Virginia State Police say Anthony Arriaga, 20, shot and killed Ben Hatfield at a cemetery in Maher on Sunday afternoon. Troopers say he confessed to the murder.
He was arrested on Tuesday in Allen County, Ohio. He waived his extradition and was brought back to West Virginia.
Following his arraignment Thursday, Arriaga said, "I just want to apologize to the man's family."
When asked why he did it, he said, "I don't want to talk about it."
Arriaga is expected to be back in court next month for a preliminary hearing.
Two other people have been charged in connection with the case.
State Police say Brandon Fitzpatrick and Arriaga were in the Maher area selling drugs and when they ran out of cash they robbed Hatfield before he was killed.
Ricky Peterson has also been charged in the case.
Investigators say Arriaga was at Peterson's home after the murder, but he lied lied to troopers saying he has made no contact with Arriaga and didn't know about the murder. Then, Peterson changed his story and told troopers he took Arriaga to his home in Ohio and could give them more details about the murder.
Hatfield was the former vice president of Patriot Coal Corp.
MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The man investigators say shot and killed a former coal executive is back in West Virginia and is expected to arraigned Thursday morning.
West Virginia State Police say Anthony Arriaga, 20, shot and killed Ben Hatfield at a cemetery in Maher on Sunday afternoon.
Arriaga was arrested on Tuesday in Allen County, Ohio. He waived his extradition and was brought back to West Virginia. He arrived at the Mingo County Courthouse just after 8 a.m. for his arraignment in magistrate court.
Arriaga is facing a first degree murder charge. Troopers say he has confessed to Hatfield's murder.
Two other people have been charged in connection with the case.
State Police say Brandon Fitzpatrick and Arriaga were in the Maher area selling drugs and when they ran out of cash they robbed Hatfield before he was killed.
Ricky Peterson has also been charged in the case.
Investigators say Arriaga was at Peterson's home after the murder, but he lied lied to troopers saying he has made no contact with Arriaga and didn't know about the murder. Then, Peterson changed his story and told troopers he took Arriaga to his home in Ohio and could give them more details about the murder.
Hatfield was the former vice president of Patriot Coal Corp.
We have a crew in Arriaga's hearing.
Keep clicking on WSAZ Mobile and WSAZ.com for the latest information.
