Tennis Maynard

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Rachel Baldwin

Staff Writer

WILLIAMSON — The man accused of fatally shooting Mingo County Sheriff Eugene Crum will make his first court appearance on Wednesday, following a lengthy hospital stay.

Mingo County Prosecuting Attorney Michael Sparks told the Daily News that 37-year-old Tennis Melvin Maynard, of Ragland, will be arraigned in Cabell County on Wednesday, May 15, at 1:30 p.m. He was indicted last month on charges stemming from the April 3rd slaying of Sheriff Crum, who was shot twice at point blank range while seated in his official vehicle eating lunch in a parking lot at the corner of 3rd Avenue and Harvey Street in Williamson. Maynard was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and fleeing authorities.

Maynard had been hospitalized since the shooting. He was shot multiple times by Mingo County Sheriff’s Department Corporal N. Mines following a short chase after the death of the sheriff that ended in the defendant crashing his truck against the side of a concrete bridge of Delbarton. The attempted murder charge stems from that incident, in which he was accused of pulling a gun on the deputy.

Investigators have not publically discussed a possible motive in Sheriff Crum’s death. A special judge was assigned to the case after Mingo County Circuit Court Judge Michael Thornsbury voluntarily recused himself. Cabell County Circuit Judge Paul Ferrell will preside over the trial.

A full story on Maynard’s arraignment will be featured in Thursday’s edition of the Daily News and will also be available on our website, at williamsondailynews.com.