On the night of Friday, January 3, 2020, 32-year-old Cody Wayne Miller of Danville was found along U.S. Route 119 in the Julian area of Boone County, West Virginia. Initial reports suggested a pedestrian struck by a vehicle, but investigators determined Miller had sustained fatal gunshot wounds and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

State Police identified 26-year-old Shane Justice of Julian as a suspect; he was apprehended the same night after a high-speed chase. Authorities say Miller and Justice were acquainted and had been together earlier that day. Investigators believe the shooting occurred either while Miller stood next to Justice’s vehicle or while he was inside it. Justice was charged with murder, wanton endangerment, and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and was jailed without bond.

Miller, a laid-off coal miner, was described in his obituary as a fun-loving husband and father of two who enjoyed movies, music and documentaries. If anyone knew Miller, his routine, or his movements in Julian on January 3, please come forward with information.