Tragic End to Multi-State Crime Spree: Man Dead After Murder, Kidnapping, and Hostage Standoff


In a harrowing and violent three-state crime spree, a man met his demise, leaving behind a trail of terror that encompassed murder, kidnapping, carjacking, and a hostage situation at a gas station.


The unsettling series of events began when David Maynard (pictured above) allegedly committed a homicide and restrained his ex-girlfriend in Ironton, Ohio, situated on the border with Kentucky. 

Local reports from Newsweek detailed the incident. 

Law enforcement in Ironton, Ohio, issued a Facebook warning, classifying Maynard as "armed and dangerous" and advising the public not to engage with him. Fortunately, Maynard's ex-girlfriend escaped unharmed.

Maynard then traveled approximately 35 miles south to Louisa, Kentucky, where he forcibly took a woman and stole her vehicle, according to Kentucky State Police Trooper Shane Goodall, as reported by Charleston, West Virginia's ABC affiliate, WCHS. 


Goodall explained that Maynard abandoned the car after reaching a nearby Dollar General, leaving the woman behind. His subsequent destination was Wayne County, West Virginia, although authorities remain uncertain about the details of this leg of his journey.

The situation escalated further when West Virginia State Police Capt. R.A. Maddy disclosed that troopers were actively searching for Maynard. Sgt. Lee Pennington spotted him at a Speedway gas station in Ceredo, West Virginia, standing behind the counter next to a store clerk while brandishing a firearm. Maynard aimed the weapon at Pennington, who was stationed outside.

Maynard then took the store clerk and two other individuals hostage, prompting the West Virginia State Police to deploy the Special Response Team along with a negotiator. This negotiator successfully communicated with Maynard, leading to the release of two of the three hostages. 


Maynard requested a blanket be placed at the front door for the remaining hostage's safety. However, when Maynard approached the blanket retrieval around 2 a.m. on Sunday, multiple SRT officers discharged a barrage of shots, striking Maynard, as reported by WCHS.

Footage captured by WCHS cameras documented the intense moment when SRT officers unleashed a volley of gunfire. 

Following the confrontation, Maynard was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead approximately an hour later. Fortunately, no law enforcement officers sustained injuries, and the third hostage was successfully rescued.

In another tragic incident near Athens, Greek police reported that a horrifying attack claimed the lives of six individuals through fatal gunshot wounds. See detailed story here.

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