UPDATE: Man pleads not guilty in Huntington murder

A man accused of killing a woman on a front porch in West Huntington last year pleaded not guilty Thursday in Cabell County.

Zaire Monroe-Shareef is charged with killing Lisa Washburn, 39, of South Point, Ohio. It happened last June when Washburn was found severely injured on the porch of a home along West 10th Avenue.

Shareef was arrested about six weeks later in Bradenton, Florida. He continues to be held without bond.

His next court date is April 12.

A man accused of killing a woman on a front porch will undergo a mental evaluation.

Zaire Monroe-Shareef waived his right Monday to a preliminary hearing within 10 days of being extradited from Florida to West Virginia.

Monroe-Shareef is charged with killing Lisa Washburn, 39, of South Point, Ohio.

Police say in June, Washburn was found severely injured on the porch of a home along West 10th Avenue. Investigators say she was trying to escape Monroe-Shareef's home, which was about a block away.

Investigators say Monroe-Shareef took off after the incident. He was arrested about six weeks later in Bradenton, Florida.

A preliminary hearing will now be held after the mental evaluation is complete.

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- U.S. Marshals tell WSAZ a suspect charged with murder has been arrested in Florida.

Zaire Monroe-Shareef, of Huntington, was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Bradenton, Florida.

He is charged with the murder of Lisa Washburn, 39, of South Point, Ohio.

Washburn was found June 1 severely injured on the porch of a home in the 600 block of 10th Avenue West.

Washburn died shortly thereafter.

Investigators say it all started more than a block away from where they found her where Monroe-Shareef lives. Police say she tried to escape, got away briefly to the porch, but Monroe-Shareef found her again.

Police believe Monroe-Shareef was under the influence of a controlled substance at the time. They haven't said anything about a motive or if a weapon was used.

Keep checking WSAZ Mobile and WSAZ.com for the latest information.

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Huntington police say the man who beat a woman to death is still on the run as of Friday evening.

The victim is Lisa Washburn, 39, of South Point, Ohio.

Huntington police say Zaire Monroe-Shareef, 34, of Huntington, killed her.

One of his neighbors, Donna Speakes, tells WSAZ she saw both of them at his home a few hours earlier. She says the man she knows doesn't match the accusation.

Washburn’s friends were too distraught to talk to us Friday, but shared photos of her. They said she was high-spirited, would do anything for anybody and didn't deserve to be killed.

Investigators say it all started more than a block away from where they found her where Monroe-Shareef lives. Police say she tried to escape, got away briefly to the porch, but Monroe-Shareef found her again.

"She came over a lot. She was over there a lot," said Speakes. "She was there (Wednesday). She was sitting on the stoop."

Speakes has lived on 10th Avenue for a dozen years. She says Monroe-Shareef moved in with his wife and two young girls around January.

"I thought he was cool. He was laidback. He was a very quiet guy,” she said. “That's the Zaire I knew."

As for Wednesday night, she didn’t see anything but she heard a lot of music. She says more than a handful of people went in and out. So she's not sure it was her neighbor that is the killer.

"It was more than just him and the person, I’m sorry for the loss of her, Lisa," Speakes said.

She knows all too well what that's like. Her grandson was killed two years ago.

"Investigate everything because there was a lot of people over there. Somebody knows something,” she said. “I'm just sorry that it happened."

Police believe Monroe-Shareef was under the influence of a controlled substance at the time. They haven't said anything about a motive or if a weapon was used.

We talked to Zaire's father Friday who said he talked to his son this week for the first time in two years. He hadn't even heard about the murder, much less knew that his son is the prime suspect.

He told us he briefly spoke to his son Tuesday night, then had to hang up when he became verbally abusive. Zaire then stopped by his father's home Wednesday morning with a woman, but they got into an argument and he had to close the door.

Police stopped by Thursday but only told him he was missing and they were looking for him and didn’t say why.

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Huntington Police have issued an arrest warrant for a man wanted in connection the beating death of woman.

Zaire Monroe-Shareef, 34, of Huntington, is charged with murder in the death of Lisa Washburn, 39, of South Point.

Police say Washburn was found severely beaten early Thursday morning on the front porch of a home in the 500 block of West 10th Avenue. She died from her injuries.

According to HPD, Monroe-Shareef lives in the 600 block of West 10th Avenue which is were detectives believe the altercation between the two began.

Chief Joe Ciccarelli says the woman tried to escape Monroe-Shareef by running down the street. She was able to hide on the porch for a short time, but then he found her and continued beating her on the porch.

Police say the two know each other.

According to a release, police believe Monroe-Shareef was under the influence of a controlled substance at the time of the beating.

Keep checking WSAZ Mobile and WSAZ.com for the latest information.

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Huntington police are still searching for the man they say killed a woman early Thursday morning in the west end.

Officers say it originated as a disturbance call about 3:45 a.m. in the 600 block of 10th Avenue West.

Officers began searching the area and about 15 minutes later and nearly two blocks away, they say they found a woman severely injured on the front porch of a home.

Police started CPR and called for emergency crews but the woman did not survive her injuries.

Police Chief Joe Ciccarelli says it's believed that an altercation broke out at the home in the 600 block of 10th Avenue West, but they are still trying to determine how she ended up on the porch nearly two blocks away in the 500 block.

Forensics crews were searching both houses on Thursday.

Police say they believe the victim and the suspect knew each other, but the extent of their relationship is still unknown.

The victim has not yet been identified.

Police say witness statements and evidence at the scene indicate the suspect may be nude and under the influence of drugs.

He may also still be in the area. Anyone who sees the suspect is asked not to approach, instead call 911 immediately.

Keep checking WSAZ Mobile and WSAZ.com for the latest information.

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A murder investigation is underway in Huntington.

Police say they got a call about 3:45 a.m. Thursday of a disturbance in the 600 block of West 10th Avenue.

Officers began searching the area and about 15 minutes later and nearly two blocks away, they say they found a woman severely injured on the front porch of a home.

Officers started CPR and called for emergency crews but the woman did not survive her injuries.

The victim has not yet been identified.

The homeowner tells WSAZ the woman did not live in the home and he doesn't know who she is.

The homeowner says he heard banging on this door, some sort of commotion and a thump early Thursday morning. He says her heard the woman's voice but not the man believed to be the suspect.

Police say witness statements and evidence at the scene indicate the suspect may be nude and under the influence of drugs.

He may also still be in the area. Anyone who sees the suspect is asked not to approach, instead call 911 immediately.

WSAZ has a crew at the scene.

Keep clicking on WSAZ Mobile and WSAZ.com for the latest information.