Man charged with murder in Campbell County death

LYNCH STATION — Wilbur Lee West was buried the same afternoon that deputies released the name of the man they charged in his murder.

While the arrest of Alphonso Lamont Destin eases some of the concerns in the community and the church that West devoted his life to, many are still angry and frightened that this could happen in Lynch Station.

“It doesn’t change the hurt,” said the Rev. Rick Dellinger, of Lynch Station Baptist Church. “It doesn’t change the pain. It’s good, but it doesn’t change anything. We still have questions and wonder why. It’s senseless.”

West, 69, was found shot in the head at his home at 281 Leewood Rd. According to a search warrant filed at Campbell County Circuit Court, it appeared someone had gone through his pockets.

Campbell County deputies arrested Destin, 21, around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday at a house on 11th Street in Altavista. Investigators said Destin had been staying in a house down the street from West.

At the moment, he is facing one charge for first-degree murder. Sheriff Terry Gaddy said that might change.

Gaddy also said he doesn’t believe Destin was the only one involved. Investigators are looking at another person of interest and expect an arrest in the coming days.

“The investigation is not over,” Gaddy said. “We believe that someone else was involved.”

It was the first homicide in Campbell County this year.

Robbery was the motive for the murder, Gaddy said. A small amount of cash was stolen as well as some items from West’s home. Gaddy would not go into detail on what was taken since the investigation is ongoing.

Destin’s criminal record consists only of misdemeanors — mostly traffic infractions.

“There’s nothing significant, nothing to lead us to believe this might come to be,” said Capt. L.T. Guthrie.

Gaddy said investigators don’t know why West was the target, adding the two men likely did not know each other.

Many in the neighborhood — a collection of mostly small homes in rural southwestern Campbell County — have been concerned since West’s murder, Gaddy said.

“We feel that people have not contacted us because they are fearful,” Gaddy said. “We’re hoping that more people will come forward. Most of the residents are retirement age. They are scared to come to the door. Most have talked about purchasing a weapon for safety.”

Gaddy said some neighbors were concerned that West’s murder could be related to a fatal fire that killed Joseph and Linda Ruth Toms just a few blocks down the street in April. Investigators don’t believe the fire was intentionally set, Gaddy said. Other than proximity, there is nothing to connect the two incidents.

Jim Mayhew knew Sunday morning that something was wrong when West wasn’t at church. He was a member of the men’s chorus group, which typically meets for practice at 9 a.m.

Mayhew went to West’s house to check on him and found the door slightly open. He pushed it open farther and called out.

“I said, ‘Are you OK?’” he recalled Thursday afternoon after the funeral. “He didn’t answer.”

Mayhew called the church and asked for another member to meet him at the house. The two men went in and found West, lying near the door.

The murder dumbfounds Mayhew.

“He got along good with everybody,” Mayhew said. “He was gentle. He just had a way about him. When you met him you liked him.”

The church community is grappling with the loss of a man who was deeply involved behind the scenes. He handled the sound system and served as the church’s treasurer.

“He was really a pillar of this church,” Jim Mayhew said. “Everybody loved him. He didn’t have an enemy in the world. That’s why we don’t understand.”

Maj. Steve Hutcherson, of the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, was a fellow deacon at the church with West.

“He was the kindest, gentlest person I have ever known,” Hutcherson said. “The church is really hurting. The way Wilbur was, for a person to kill him like that …”

West had retired from Burlington, then worked at Schewels for a while before retiring again.

Mayhew said the last job the two men did together was installing new faucets at the church.

“I was struggling with the job and the door opened and he came in and said, ‘I’ll help,’” Mayhew said. “He’d always show up when you needed him.”

West read the directions and handed Mayhew the parts while he worked under the sink.

Phyllis Mayhew said West, her cousin, never married but all the women in the church loved him. The single women “went after him.”

“This was his life,” Phyllis Mayhew said. “He loved this church.”

The church’s music director came in one day and thought he was alone in the church when he heard a man singing, Jim Mayhew said. He thought it was a CD left playing but when he looked for the source, he found West, just singing away.

West had a lead voice, Jim Mayhew said, but he always preferred to be in the background.

He was the first one at the church in the morning and often the last to leave.

“When he wasn’t here and he hadn’t called, we knew something had to be wrong,” Dale Perrow said.

Dellinger said he’s sure that if West’s killer had just asked for money, he would have given it to them.

“We are mad. Someone we loved was taken from us senselessly, with no reason whatsoever.

“We are going to have to forgive.”

Anyone with information on the murder is asked to call Central Virginia Crime Stoppers at (888) 798-5900.

Maj. Steve Hutcherson of the Campbell County Sheriff’s Department, reflects on the death of Wilbur West following Thursday’s news conference. The two were deacons at Lynch Station Baptist Church.
CHET WHITE/THE NEWS & ADVANCE