Murder arrest linked to drug dealing
By David Hedges, Publisher
thetimesrecord.net
Police said a man arrested for the murder of a Calhoun County couple was angry because he was owed money for delivering marijuana.
Kirk "Bucky" Miller, 32 was arrested Thursday, the same day he allegedly admitted to police he killed Michael and Julie Flanagan.
The couple's bodies were found in the living room of their home by their daughter, a college student, the morning of Tuesday, April 14. Police believe they had been shot three days before that.
Each of the victims was 52 years old. The murder at their home on Left Fork Creek Road, a remote area off W.Va. 16 between Millstone and Mt. Zion, sent shock waves through Calhoun County, where Mrs. Flanagan had worked as a substitute teacher.
Marijuana trafficking is believed to have been the root of the dispute between Michael Flanagan and the man charged with his slaying, according to Cpl. F.L. Hammack of the State Police detachment in Spencer.
Police found 30 marijuana plants growing in the upstairs of the couple's home, Hammack said.
The victims appeared to have been sitting at the time they were shot downstairs, according to the complaint filed by Hammack.
The arrest, three months after the murders, came after several possible suspects were interviewed.
"From the scene, we knew it had to be someone they trusted to let into their home and somebody involved in drug activity," Hammack said. "And we knew it had to be someone very upset with Mr. Flanagan because of the extent of his injuries."
Hammack said Miller confessed Thursday, the first time he was interviewed about the murders.
"He said he was selling marijuana for Mr. Flanagan," Hammack said.
"The deal was to split the money, but he said Mr. Flanagan refused to do so," Hammack said. "He became very agitated and angry and that led to him going to the house and shooting Mr. Flanagan."
Miller worked as a well tender and was near the Flanagan's home twice a week, Hammack said.
He got to know the couple and had been invited into their home on occasion. Miller told police he started selling marijuana for Michael Flanagan on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 1.
Hammack said Miller claimed he had asked Flanagan repeatedly about being paid but was always dismissed by Flanagan.
Miller allegedly told police he became increasingly upset about not being paid and started thinking about killing Flanagan some three weeks prior to the crime.
He said he went to the Flanagan home after dark on Saturday, April 11 with the idea of shooting Flanagan, according to the complaint.
He allegedly told police there was a brief confrontation before Flanagan realized who he was and let him into the home.
Miller allegedly told police he offered to sell a shotgun to Flanagan, who agreed to buy the gun.
Miller told police that upset him because Flanagan had money to buy the gun, but not to pay the money he owed him.
Hammack said Miller told police he went out to his vehicle, loaded the 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun and came back and used it to shoot both Flanagans several times.
Miller allegedly told police he cut the telephones lines to the home and picked up the discharged shells before going upstairs to look through the victims' belongings in search of marijuana and money.
Miller allegedly told police he took two jars of marijuana and two Ruger .44 caliber pistols.
Hammack said he had another suspect in mind during the investigation that took him as far away as Mississippi and an area outside of Philadelphia.
Eventually, he said one person who was interviewed suggested police "look at the well tender."
Miller, who lived with his parents in a rural area outside the Harrison County community of Salem, was interviewed by State Police Thursday.
"He was extremely cooperative," according to Hammack, who said after first denying any involvement, Miller confessed to the murders.
"He gave us all the details of the scene," according to Hammack, who said items stolen from the Flanagan residence were found at Miller's home, as was the murder weapon.
"It was one of the easier interviews I've done in my career," Hammack said. "The murder of two people you know and have been good to you is a lot for a man to carry around. It was just too much for him to bear."
Hammack said several people worked on the investigation, including the Calhoun sheriff's department, the State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation and members of several area detachments including Grantsville, Spencer, West Union and Harrisville.
"There has been a lot of people working a lot of hours on this. Trooper (P.S.) Fisher has been invaluable throughout this whole thing," he said of another member of the Spencer detachment.
He said Miller, who is being held in the regional jail without bond, was not a suspect until the end.
"It's been a long road," Hammack said, "but we wound up where we needed to be."
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