BUCKHANNON, W.Va. (WBOY) — Upshur County’s Grand Jury returned 40 indictments Tuesday.

Child Neglect

Elizabeth Marks, 33, of French Creek, was indicted on one count each of gross child neglect creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury, driving under the influence of controlled substances and proximately causing bodily injury, driving under the influence of controlled substances with an unemancipated minor and no insurance. She was arrested in February after an accident on Sago Road. An 8-year-old was in the vehicle, and according to responding state troopers, had what appeared to be blood on his face. The two were taken to the hospital for treatment, and Marks tested positive for “amphetamines, fentanyl and carbenoids,” according to a criminal complaint.

Alice Linger, 50, of Tallmansville, was indicted on one count of gross child neglect creating substantial risk of death or serious injury, seven counts of animal cruelty and one count of creating, contributing to or operating an open dump. She was arrested in August after a 14-year-old and nearly 50 animals were found in “deplorable conditions” at her Tallmansville home. Animal feces, rotting garbage and dead chickens were found in the home, and deputies said that some of the animals on the property did not have access to food or clean water.

The following animals were found and seized as a result of a warrant, according to a criminal complaint:

• Four goats,
• Five dogs (including two puppies)
• Eight cats (including seven kittens)
• Twelve rabbits
• Fifteen chickens
• Two rats
• One turkey
• One horse
• One yearling bull

Joshua (27) and Michelle (21) Bean, of Buckhannon, were both indicted on one count each of child neglect resulting in injury and gross child neglect creating serious risk of death or serious bodily injury. The two were arrested in August after EMS was called over a 10/11-month-old with a “sever[e] diaper rash,” and responding West Virginia State Police Troopers found that their home was also covered in urine and feces. Troopers said at the time that they learned the infant’s rash had lasted for four months, but the Beans hadn’t done “anything.”

Jessica Tenney, 29, of Buckhannon, was indicted on two counts of gross child neglect creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury. She and Scott Tenney were arrested after a January 2023 incident where State Police were called in reference to two children who “had run away from home because they were being abused.” According to a criminal complaint, troopers determined the children lived with the Tenneys. When troopers went to the home to speak with the Tenneys, they allegedly told troopers that they had seen the kids in the back of the residence, only to notice they were missing 10 minutes later, and that they had looked for the kids for approximately 30 minutes before calling 911, but troopers said that their clothes were dry despite the ongoing rainstorm. Scott was not included in January’s Grand Jury indictments.

William Butcher, 45, and Katrina Hall, 38, both of Buckhannon, were both indicted on one count each of gross child neglect creating substantial risk of death of serious bodily injury and animal cruelty. They were arrested back in October after officers who were assisting with a home confinement check found that the floor of the house was covered in “food and trash” and that there was a “full bucket of human waste in the open.” A 17-year-old as well as “a dog in a cage, having no food or water, and a large pile of feces” which had “obviously not have been cleaned in numerous days,” were also in the home, according to a criminal complaint.

Drugs

Arista Wright, 25, of Buckhannon, was indicted on one count each of drug delivery resulting in death and conspiracy. She was arrested in September after the deadly overdose of Troy Cook that happened in December at a Valley Green Drive residence. Responding deputies looked at Cook’s phone and found a Facebook Messenger conversation where deputies say he and Wright arranged a drug purchase and communicated about it throughout the exchange. Cook was found dead at the scene and his cause of death was ruled fentanyl/norfentany/4-ANPP, para-fluorofentanyl, xylazine, citalopram/escitalopram, diphenhydramine, trazodone/mCPP, and ethanol intoxication by a forensic pathologist.

Greg Tenney, 23, of Rock Cave, was indicted on one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and one count of conspiracy. He was one of 10 people arrested in May after a drug bust that ended a “lengthy investigation,” and was also charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance after packaged methamphetamine was found during a traffic stop for speeding.

Other

Kelcee Fortney, 27, of Buckhannon, was indicted on two counts of computer fraud and one count of financial exploitation of an elderly person. She was arrested last January after she was given access to the bank account of an 82-year-old woman with dementia to help the woman pay her bills, but allegedly transferred $23,314.72 to herself in 355 increments and used the money to pay for drugs and other things.

Click here to read the rest of the Upshur County Grand Jury’s indictments.