Sex rivalry led to 5 deaths

Jody Hunt, 39, of Westover, killed his ex-girlfriend, two men he believed she was having sex with and the owner of a rival tow truck company and himself, police say.

A 12-hour manhunt came to an end Monday night when Hunt was found with a self-inflicted 9 mm gunshot wound to his head in Everettville, near the border of Monongalia County and Marion County, off US Route 19.

While the bodies of Sharon Kay Berkshire, 39, of Westover and Michael David Frum, 28, of Maidsville, were first found by a nearby landlord in Cheat Lake, law enforcement was dispatched to a reported shooting at 7:42 a.m. at Doug's Towing in Westover, where owner Doug Brady was gunned down by Hunt.  

After traveling to Cheat Lake and killing Berkshire and Frum, Hunt shot and killed his cousin and business partner,  Jody Taylor, 43, at his home on Sweet Pea Lane.

"Once the officers responded to the shooting in Westover and were able to view some surveillance video that's what gave us the description of the vehicle that our suspect was driving," said Sheriff Al Kisner.

Authorities looked for Hunt and his vehicle for most of the day Monday.

Berkshire filed a domestic protection order against Hunt, a convicted felon, in 2013 and again in early 2014, said Monongalia County Sheriff Al Kisner.  Berkshire later dismissed the protective orders and continued her relationship with Hunt, said Kisner.  

Berkshire and Frum were in a relatively new romantic relationship, said Kisner.  Criminal records indicate that Hunt was convicted in January 1999 in Virginia on kidnapping and abduction charges.  Hunt also faced firearm and wanton endangerment charges in West Virginia and spent five years in Huttonsville Correctional Facility.  It's likely that Hunt obtained a firearm by falsifying documents or purchasing it from a person who did not require documents, said Kisner.

Hunt was expected to meet with Monongalia County Commissioner Eldon Callen to discuss towing issues Tuesday.  Hunt told commissioners he was mad about a particular towing company that recently picked up an overturned truck after hearing about it on the scanner, although Hunt claimed it was J&J Towing's turn as part of the county towing rotation.

"Jody Hunt called Eldon and felt that there was a problem that happened where another tow truck driver took his call," said Commissioner Tom Bloom. "He was very angry and wanted to meet with Eldon again this week, to discuss the concerns and add more teeth to it."