CHARLESTON, W.Va., July 27 (UPI) -- West Virginia police said four people were gunned down in Charlestown after what appeared to be a drug deal gone awry.
Two of the victims were delivering newspapers in the neighborhood early Friday and police said they were "in the wrong place at the wrong time," the Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette reported.
Police charged Sidney A. Muller, 27, with four counts of first-degree murder.
Muller was inside a noted drug house about 4:30 a.m. Friday when he allegedly gunned down two men, Todd Russell Amos, 29, and Christopher A. Hart, 26. Muller then allegedly tried to flee the scene and came upon Freddy Donald Swinger, 70 and his son Fred Swinger, 47, who were delivering The Exponent-Telegram, a newspaper that circulates throughout northwest West Virginia.
It wasn't immediately clear what prompted Muller to allegedly open fire on the men.
Brian Jarvis, the Exponent-Telegram publisher, said the men had been delivering the paper for more than 30 years and readers had been calling the newsroom throughout the day Friday to express their condolences.
"I only had the pleasure of knowing Fred and Freddy for the past year and a half, since I took over ownership of The Exponent-Telegram," Jarvis said. "They were extremely nice, loyal, and cared very deeply about their customers."
