MORGANTOWN — The U.S. Marshals Service has arrested the woman suspected of murdering Spencer Zoller, 49, in Randolph County earlier this month.
Alex Neville, chief deputy U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of West Virginia, says the United States Marshals Service and Mountain State Fugitive Task Force apprehended Vanessa Logan, 32, at a trailer park about 15 miles south of Morgantown late Thursday afternoon.
“Deputy U.S. Marshals were able to rapidly establish leads pointing them to Monongalia County, W.Va. in the hunt for the murder suspect,” according to a press release from the U.S. Marshals Service. “At approximately 3:30 p.m., marshals and task force officers established surveillance of a target address within the Healthy Heights Trailer Park, determining Logan was inhabiting the suspect dwelling.”
Logan was apprehended without incident.
Randolph County Sheriff Mark Brady told My Buckhannon that Zoller was found dead of a gunshot wound at a residence on Gum Road on Nov. 18.
Logan had allegedly fled the scene prior to the arrival of law enforcement; however, Brady has said several other individuals were in the residence and spoke with law enforcement.
“Logan was charged with first degree murder on Nov. 18 in Randolph County,” the release notes.
The sheriff’s office believes the shooting was drug-related, according to a previous My Buckhannon story.
Logan’s arrest comes just two days after Randolph County deputies arrested another man, Christopher Warren Koch, 32, of Elkins for accessory after the fact, a felony.
Koch allegedly aided Logan as she evaded law enforcement.
“Koch was arrested on a felony charge of accessory after the fact relating to the homicide investigation of Spencer Zoller,” a press release from Brady’s office states. “During the investigation it was determined that Christopher Koch was instrumental in assisting the murder suspect, Vanessa Logan, in evading law enforcement.”
The release goes on to say that Koch allegedly “provided transportation” to Logan and “assisted her in locating a place to stay to avoid arrest.”
“In addition, [Koch] helped her secure items to change her personal appearance in an effort to further avoid detection,” according to the release. “He also was trying to provide financial support to Vanessa Logan while a fugitive.”
After Logan’s arrest, she was handed over to local authorities and taken before a magistrate, according to the press release.
“The United States Marshals Service is pleased we were able to apprehend this dangerous fugitive in such a short time frame,” Neville says in the release. “The community is now safer than it was with her on the run and justice may now be served.”
