UPDATE: Mother describes fatal shooting in court testimony

UPDATE: 5/19/20 5 P.M.

The case of a man accused of fatally shooting his brother on Mother's Day in south Parkersburg was bound over to Wood County Circuit Court Tuesday afternoon following a preliminary hearing in magistrate court that included testimony from the mother of both men.

William Nutter, 40, is charged with first-degree murder charge in the fatal shooting of his brother, Charles Ryan Cottle, 29, at a home on Broadway Avenue where they lived with their mother.

Their mother, Louisa Cottle, one of two witnesses called to testify at the hearing, described events leading up to the shooting.

She testified that Nutter became upset after she and Charles Cottle woke him up while they were taking out some trash and working around the house.

At one point, when they were all upstairs, she testified about an argument in which Nutter allegedly hit her in the face and slammed her head against a wall. She said that's when Charles Cottle picked up a metal bar and chased Nutter down the stairs.

“I started downstairs,” she testified. “They were already downstairs out of sight. I heard clanking and breaking, and as I was going downstairs, three shots, a delay, and when i went through the doorway where i could see billy, he was, 'like this,' shooting Ryan."

After the shooting, Louisa Cottle said she got into her truck and drove to a neighbor’s home.

The only other witness called to testify was Parkersburg Police Detective Jeremy Bell. He said that when police arrived, they found Charles Cottle’s body in the kitchen against a back door.

He also testified about the result of an autopsy that showed Charles Cottle had been shot 10 times.

In a criminal complaint, Nutter told investigators he was defending himself.

Police recovered a 9 mm pistol that is believed to be the gun used in the shooting.

Evidence in the case will now be presented to a grand jury.

Nutter remains in the North Central Regional jail

UPDATE: 5/11/20 1 P.M.

One man is dead and another is behind bars after a Mother's Day fight between the brothers at a home in south Parkersburg.

William Nutter, 40, who is charged with first-degree murder, claims in court records that he was defending himself when he allegedly shot his brother, Charles Cottle, at the home in the 1300 block of Broadway Avenue.

Police found Cottle's body in the home's kitchen when they responded about 3:45 p.m. Sunday.

A criminal complaint in Wood County Magistrate Court says Cottle was shot nine times as he intervened to help a woman, identified as the brothers' mother, who was allegedly being assaulted by Nutter.

Cottle allegedly hit Nutter in the back before the incident ended with Nutter using a pistol to shoot Cottle in the torso and hip, court record say.

Nutter continues to be held without bond in the the North Central Regional Jail pending his next court appearance.

5/10/20

According to Parkersburg Police, a domestic dispute between a mother and son causes her other son to try to intervene. The son who intervened then struck his brother in the domestic dispute with a metal object.

Authorities say the son in the domestic dispute then shot his brother several times and he is dead and the shooter is in police custody.

No charges have been filed yet and names are not being released at this time.

There were several neighbors who heard the commotion and will be giving statements to police.

More information will be released as police continue to investigate.

The Parkersburg Police responded to the 1300 block of Broadway Avenue just before 3 p.m. Sunday to a reported shooting.

Not much is known at this time, but the police have confirmed one person is dead and a firearm was used.

WTAP has a reporter on the scene. Keep up with us online and on air as we find out more.