Nathaniel James Wood, a 37-year-old White man, was found inside a home on Hookersville Road in the Birch River area near Summersville on August 7, 2021, suffering a fatal gunshot wound to the neck. Deputies from the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department pronounced him dead at the scene and recovered a handgun from the residence.

Investigators treated the shooting as domestic-related. Authorities publicly identified 42-year-old Nicol Petrey of Hookersville Road as the person who allegedly shot Wood, but no charges had been filed immediately after the incident. The Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department continued an active investigation and there have been no later public announcements about arrests or charges.

If anyone in the Birch River or Summersville area has information about Nathaniel James Wood or the events of August 7, 2021, please come forward to the sheriff’s office.