Kayla Neel, a 20-year-old woman from Bluewell, West Virginia, was shot on December 16, 2014, while sitting in a pickup truck outside her parents’ home with a friend, Dakota Walls. Both were struck by gunfire; Kayla suffered critical injuries and survived for 12 days before dying at a Roanoke hospital on Sunday, December 28. Walls was shot in the neck, required extensive hospitalization, and later survived but was left using a wheelchair.

Investigators identified Kayla’s estranged husband, Michael Eugene Neel Jr., as the person responsible. He was taken into custody and held on $350,000 bail. After Kayla’s death prosecutors announced plans to increase charges to murder, and Neel was charged with first-degree murder. His case proceeded through a 2016 jury trial that resulted in convictions for malicious assault and wanton endangerment but a mistrial on first-degree murder and attempted murder. The matter later moved toward resolution when Neel agreed to plead guilty to first-degree murder with the state permitting mercy under West Virginia law, making him eligible for parole after serving 15 years.

Does anyone have information about the shooting or knew Kayla that could help fill gaps in the timeline or circumstances?