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WHEELING -- Three men are behind bars, charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of Joshua Gorayeb in Bellaire.
Meanwhile, two women -- one of whom also is charged with murder -- remain at large with warrants out for their arrests in connection with the June 7 shooting, which investigators believe was drug-related.
James Dean McMasters, 46, and Michael Scott Posey, 33, both of Bellaire, are lodged the Belmont County Jail, while Thomas Earl Grubba, 34, of Wheeling is at the Northern Regional Jail in Moundsville awaiting extradition to Ohio. All three are being held without bond, charged with murder, complicity, aggravated burglary and robbery.
As of late Friday, police were still looking for Diane Kuri of Wheeling, also charged with murder, complicity, aggravated burglary and robbery. They were also seeking Lola Eden of Bellaire, who is charged with trafficking in drugs with a firearm specification, possession of drugs and tampering with evidence, according to the Belmont County Sheriff's Department.
Wheeling police arrested Grubba early Friday on a fugitive-from-justice warrant from Belmont County. Wheeling Police Department spokesman Philip Stahl said an officer on patrol saw Grubba walking in the area of 20th and Market streets at about 1:50 a.m. Friday and arrested him without incident.
Ohio County Magistrate Joe Roxby arraigned Grubba Friday morning. His case was transferred to Ohio County Circuit Court for extradition proceedings.
Gorayeb was found dead in the backyard at Eden's 4157 Noble St. residence in Bellaire, while Grubba was shot in the chest but recovered. Grubba was found lying in the middle of Noble Street and received medical aid from Bellaire police Lt. Richard "Dick" Flanagan until paramedics arrived.
It remains unclear what roles investigators believe the four murder suspects played in Gorayeb's death.
Bellaire Police Chief Michael Kovalyk said it is believed they were involved in an attempt to rob the Noble Street residence of narcotics, noting drugs were recovered.
"Those involved in that attempted robbery and burglary are the ones that are being actually being charged with the murder of Josh Gorayeb, because if they wouldn't have went there to do that robbery and burglary and steal those narcotics, then Gorayeb would not have been shot," Kovalyk said. "So that actually makes them responsible for his death."
Kovalyk said there are additional suspects who may face charges.
"Not only the ones who have been served and incarcerated, but additional people that we are looking at as being involved in this incident and have knowledge of what actually transpired that night, and that the purpose of them going there was to rob the resident of narcotics," he said.
Kovalyk added McMasters was a prior resident of the Noble Street house.