By Amy Hunter
Reporter / Bristol Herald Courier
Published: January 25, 2009

A 42-year-old West Virginia man died from a gunshot wound in the stomach early Saturday after playing a game of quick draw at a home in the Falls Mills area of Tazewell County, Sheriff H.S. Caudill said Saturday.

Wesley K. Miliam Sr., of Kegley, W. Va., died in the ambulance on the way to Bluefield Regional Medical center shortly after the 4 a.m. incident on Compton Road, said Randy Ann Davis, a spokeswoman for the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office.

After the shooting, deputies arrested Randy Miller Howerton, 31, of Bluefield, Va., who was participating in the game. Howerton was charged with manslaughter, shooting a gun in an occupied dwelling and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, the sheriff’s office said.

“What was really surprising was that there didn’t seem to be any alcohol at all,” Caudill said Saturday. “No drugs, no guns, it was very different, very surprising.”

Howerton did not know Miliam well, Caudill said.

“The man charged with the shooting lived at the house with a lady, and had for some time. They had friends over for the night and some of them knew” Miliam, Caudill said. “It was just reckless handling of a firearm.”

Howerton is being held at the Southwest Regional Jail in Tazewell without bond, Caudill said.

His prior felony convictions include larceny.

The sheriff declined to comment on who owned the gun.

No one else was charged in connection with the shooting, Caudill said.

If there was NO GUNS involved, how did he die of a gun shot wound?
What were they drawing with? Loaded bullets only? Something sounds a bit odd there...