Brad McGarry dies in fatal Bellaire shooting

Brad McGarry dies in fatal Bellaire shooting

Fatal Bellaire shooting death of Brad McGarry

Brad McGarry, a coal miner from Bellaire, Ohio, was found shot to death in the basement of his home in May 2017, leading investigators to uncover a devastating betrayal by someone he considered a best friend.

McGarry, known for being openly gay in a conservative profession and community, was discovered with two gunshot wounds to the back of his head. His body was found by his close friend David Kinney, along with Kinney’s wife and stepdaughter, who had come to visit and found the back door ajar.

At first, authorities considered the possibility of a hate crime, as McGarry had faced difficulties at his new job and there were early signs of animosity from coworkers. However, when obvious valuables remained untouched in the ransacked home, police suspected the scene had been staged to mimic a robbery.

Attention soon turned toward McGarry’s personal relationships. A crucial lead came from a cousin who recalled that McGarry had planned to meet someone he referred to as “DJ” the afternoon he was killed. Social media investigation revealed “DJ” was actually David Kinney.

It was discovered that McGarry and Kinney had been secretly involved in a romantic affair for years, despite Kinney being married. Under police questioning, Kinney initially lied about his whereabouts but eventually admitted to being at the scene and ultimately confessed to shooting McGarry.

Prosecutors argued that Kinney killed McGarry to prevent their relationship from being exposed. Claims of self-defense were rejected due to the nature of the gunshot wounds. In 2018, Kinney was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.