CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A West Virginia man accused of killing four members of his family has pleaded guilty ahead of a scheduled retrial, bringing a years-long legal case one step closer to resolution.
Gavin Smith entered guilty pleas Monday to all charges against him, including one count of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder. Jury selection for his retrial had been scheduled to begin the same day.
Smith was originally convicted in connection with the December 2020 deaths of his mother, stepfather and two younger brothers at a home in Elkview. He was 16 years old at the time of the killings.
Authorities identified the victims as Daniel Dale Long, 37, Risa Mae Saunders, 39, Gage Ripley, 12, and Jameson Long, 3. Investigators said all four victims died from gunshot wounds.
In 2022, Smith was convicted on multiple murder charges and sentenced to consecutive life terms along with additional prison time. However, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia overturned the conviction in 2025 and ordered a new trial.
The state’s highest court ruled that jurors were improperly informed during the trial that Smith, because he was a juvenile when the crimes occurred, would be eligible for parole after 15 years if convicted of first-degree murder. The court determined that information should not have been included in jury instructions.
Rather than proceed with a second trial, Smith pleaded guilty to the charges Monday.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 6 in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
The case also involved Rebecca Walker, who previously pleaded guilty to four counts of accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. She was sentenced in 2021 after agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors.
The murders shocked the Elkview community and remain one of the most high-profile criminal cases in recent West Virginia history.
