LEWISBURG W.Va. (WVDN) – Today in The Greenbrier County Circuit Court, Judge Robert Harrison presided over the “Mercy Phase” decision in the case of The State of West Virginia vs. Terri Storer.
Storer was sentenced to life in prison for the double murder of Jeremiah and Jennifer Thomas, which occurred in November 2019 in the Williamsburg area of Greenbrier County. The defense in the case heard on Jan. 12 requested mercy in which Storer could be eligible for parole at some point in her life sentence. The grand jury denied Storer the recommendation for mercy on both counts of first-degree murder. She will serve her life sentence without the possibility of parole.
The trial has one more step, as Storer requested a Pre-Sentence Investigation. This investigation can be waived and is a formality in such high-caliber cases. The final sentencing will be heard on Feb. 29 at 11:30 a.m. in the Circuit Court of Greenbrier County.
The courtroom was heavy with emotions and heartfelt testimonies given by the family of the victims and the family of the defendant. Josh Storer, the defendant’s husband, and her brother Howard Fryberger gave testimony on behalf of Terri Storer, telling the jury that she is a dedicated and loving mother of a young son, a devoted wife and a sister. The human element of the case was discussed by both sides in that both parties had young children who would be left without a parent[s]. Fryberger explained that Storer was an intelligent and giving person who was very close to him when they were children. “My sister is an amazing person. It’s a tragedy that she won’t be a part of her son’s life. This [unfortunate event] does not define her as a person.”
Josh Storer told the court that he and his wife were happy and loved each other very much. They were members of the Citizens Defense League and members of the Madison Hunt Club, the property on which the murders occurred. “She plays a role in the club as a person who could find and cite codes and laws pertaining to the Second Amendment that would help establish our rights as gun owners. She is a great mother and wife. We enjoyed hunting together and enjoyed being a part of the hunt club. She loves our son and is an incredible mother to him.”
Pastor Eugene Melbourne of Beckley also spoke on Storer’s behalf.
The families of the Thomases and Terri Storer remained composed as the verdict was read, yet tears fell for many, including Storer. Reporters spoke with Karen Blankenship, mother of Jeremiah Thomas. She has assumed guardianship of the couple’s young son in light of the murders. “He’s a wonderful child who is trying to adjust to life without his parents. He was [dissociated] and doesn’t like leaving me. He would rarely speak, eat or leave the house in the weeks following his tragic loss. He’s doing much better today and enjoys hearing tales of his parents, playing video games and playing outside. We give him lots of love and we are a very close family.”
Reporters also spoke with the sister of Jeremiah Thomas, Tabitha Blankenship-Blosser, and listened to her heartfelt testimony. “One of my earliest memories of my brother was squirrel hunting. He taught me how to be brave. He spoiled my sister and I with rides in his convertible car, taking us to the movies and treated us like princesses. We loved to hike and hunt and really enjoyed the outdoors. He told me of his dreams to be in the military, which he had all of his life. It breaks my heart every day that he won’t be here to be a great uncle to my child. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to love his son who is so much like his dad. I am devastated that I didn’t go to his house to watch a movie with them. I told him ‘Next time’. And there was no next time.”
The West Virginia Daily News will provide more information after the final phase of the trial on Feb. 29.
