Wayne Allen Woodson, 32, of the Paint Creek area of West Virginia, was found dead in a wooded field near Gallagher in eastern Kanawha County on January 3, 2021. Troopers from the West Virginia State Police treated the location as a potential crime scene after discovering him unresponsive and public reports described his death as the result of gun violence.

Authorities did not release key details about the shooting. Officials did not identify where the shooting occurred, whether Woodson was killed at the site where his body was found, or whether any weapon, vehicle, surveillance footage, or eyewitness accounts were recovered. No suspect, motive, or arrests have been publicly reported, and there are no publicly documented criminal charges or court proceedings tied to the death.

Woodson was a father of three and is survived by his mother, sisters, grandmothers, a niece, and nephews; his obituary notes he was preceded in death by his father and grandfathers. The family held a private service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If anyone has information about where Woodson was last seen, who he was with, or any suspicious activity near Gallagher around January 3, 2021, please come forward.