Ohio County Magistrate Charles Murphy, who was a member of that court for more than two decades, retired effective immediately on Monday. The announcement was made through a release from First Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Michael Olejasz.

No reason was given in the release for Murphy’s immediate retirement.

Murphy, a former chief deputy for the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office and West Liberty Police chief, spent 22 years on the bench in the magistrate court. Now Olejasz must find someone to replace Murphy for the remainder of his term, which runs from Nov. 1, 2022, to Dec. 31, 2024. Interested applicants can send their resumes with cover letters by email to Sharon.Hedinger@courts.wv.gov by Oct. 7. A law degree or experience in the criminal justice field is preferred.

It was also announced that magistrate assistant Kathy Eckman announced her retirement after 25 years. Applicants also are being sought for her position.