No criminal charges will be filed against a former West Virginia State Police trooper who resigned this week amid allegations he had a sexual relationship with a witness in a murder case he investigated.
Cabell County Prosecuting Attorney Sean "Corky" Hammers said Friday he believed no crime had been committed by former Trooper W.G. Hash, based on information he was provided about the matter.
"I'm sure to the State Police it's conduct unbecoming of a trooper," Hammers said. "Nothing given to me presented itself to be a crime."
Hash resigned Tuesday, as he was in a position of either choosing to resign or having his employment terminated, State Police Chief of Field Services Maj. Vince Deeds said Friday.
Because Hash no longer is an employee of the West Virginia State Police, no further action will be taken by State Police officials, Deeds said.
Even though Hash is certified to be a law enforcement officer, Deeds said the investigation and his subsequent resignation is part of his employment history as a certified officer. If Hash were to apply to work at another law enforcement agency, the investigation would be brought to light in a background check, Deeds said.
"It's going to be hard for him to gain employment in law enforcement again, if he decides to pursue it," Deeds said.
Hash was investigating the case against Bobby Edgar Thompson, 29, who shot and killed Raymond Christopher Chapman, 22, in 2016 after Thompson found his wife and Chapman together in his wife's vehicle. Both men were from Lesage in northwestern Cabell County.
The Herald-Dispatch reported last week that Thompson's attorney, Abe Saad, collected evidence of a relationship between Hash and Thompson's wife during the investigation and turned it over to prosecutors in Hammers' office. The evidence included photos, text messages and a recorded phone call.
Saad told the newspaper that after they turned over the evidence, prosecutors offered Thompson a better plea deal than they had previously.
Thompson originally was charged with murder and wanton endangerment, and he pleaded guilty in August to voluntary manslaughter in exchange for having the original charges dropped.
Thompson was sentenced to 15 years in prison, the longest possible sentence for voluntary manslaughter.
Reach Lacie Pierson at lacie.pierson@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-1723 or follow @laciepierson on Twitter.