Marion County Prosecutor says family of Fairmont man who was killed in 2023 gave ‘misinformation’ during press conference

FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) — After a press conference was held by the family of Charles “Duddy” Echols III on Monday , demanding answers regarding the Fairmont man’s 2023 death , Marion County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey Freeman told 12 News that although no arrests have been made, details about the investigation have been accessible to the family and will be made public very soon.

Echols was shot and killed at a home in White Hall on Sunday, July 30, 2023. At that time, limited details were released, and almost a year later, no one has been charged.

During the family’s Monday press conference , Echols’ daughter, Precious, alleged that the family was denied access to her father’s autopsy result, but Freeman said that is not true.

When speaking with 12 News on Tuesday, Freeman said the family was invited to schedule a meeting to view the autopsy report last month, but that appointment was never scheduled. Freeman said he last spoke with Precious about scheduling that meeting on June 17 and has not heard back.

Freeman told 12 News he had hoped to release that information to the family privately, but now that “misinformation has been provided,” he plans to release details about the case publicly in a press conference in the next week or two.

“We have probably 95% or more of the investigation complete at this point in time, and certainly are prepared to make those findings and decisions public,” Freeman told a 12 News reporter.

His office was not informed about the family’s press conference before it happened on Monday, according to Freeman.

Over the course of the investigation, Freeman said his office has met with Echols’ family multiple times, both in person and over the phone.

“Every time there was a development, a change or any type of report returned, we’ve had meetings, so the whole narrative that they lack information is—it’s not even a mistake, it’s just false,” Freeman said.

He also told 12 News that other documents, like 911 call logs from the time of Echols’ death, were available to immediate family of the victim.

Freeman did say the autopsy results “were consistent with the rest of the investigation,” but he declined to comment on the possibility of arrests until his office’s upcoming press conference.

Stick with 12 News for details on this developing story.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.