Collins

VIENNA – A man was arrested Sunday in Harrison County for the murder of a woman in Vienna on Saturday, according to a press release from the Vienna Police Chief.

At approximately 3:57 p.m. on Saturday, July 20, 2024, Vienna Police were dispatched to 1000 19th Street Apartment 6, Vienna for an unresponsive person, according to the release from Vienna Police Chief Carl Powell. Officers located a deceased female inside who suffered from an apparent gunshot wound. The individual was located by a family member who immediately contacted 9-1-1.

The woman was identified by police as 22-year-old Morgan Lee Lott (Stutler), the release said.

Vienna Police proceeded to secure the crime scene and began to gather information about the case, the release said.

“While a search warrant was obtained for the crime scene, additional investigators interviewed witnesses and collected other information,” Powell wrote in the press release. “As a result, a suspect, Hearl Thomas Collins, was identified.”

Vienna Police, with the assistance of Parkersburg Police detectives, processed the crime scene and evidence was collected. Arrangements were made with the Coroner’s Office to transport the deceased to the West Virginia Medical Examiner for an autopsy, the release said.

“Working through the night, Vienna Police Detectives continued their investigation into the murder of Ms. Lott and further pursued leads regarding Mr. Collins,” Powell wrote in his press release.

Working with the United States Marshals Office and the West Virginia State Police, officers located Collins, 31, at a residence in Stonewood, W.Va., in Harrison County, according to the press release.

Using information gathered through their investigation, Vienna Police Detectives secured an arrest warrant for Collins for the first-degree murder of Morgan Lee Lott (Stutler), the release said.

At approximately 9 a.m. Sunday, Harrison County SWAT units executed the arrest warrant for Collins at the residence, the release said, adding Collins was arrested and transported without incident, the release said.

“The investigation into this incident is ongoing,” Powell wrote.

Multiple law enforcement agencies assisted the Vienna Police in this incident, gathering information, sharing resources, and searching potential locations for the suspect. The Vienna Police Department was assisted in this investigation by the United States Marshals Office, the West Virginia State Police, the Parkersburg Police Department, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Wood County Coroner’s Office.