On Thursday, April 9, 1993, Senior Trooper Larry G. Hacker and Trooper S. J. Verdow, of the Harrisville Detachment were called to investigate a dispute between two neighbors about three miles south of Pullman, a rural community of about 200 in southern Ritchie County.
Trooper Verdow graduated from the State Police Academy on January 29, 1993, and was in training with Sr. Trooper Hacker. When they attempted to locate someone in the house on the property, they were fired upon from the hillside behind the house.
Sr. Trooper Hacker was shot in the stomach and fell to the ground. Ritchie County Deputy Sheriff Gary Hissom pulled Hacker out of the line of fire. Hacker was conscious and at times alert before he was airlifted to Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital in Parkersburg.
He died of a gun shot wound to the abdomen at 12:10 am. on Friday, April 9, 1993.
Dennis Ferguson, 67, was arrested about midnight at the scene and charged with murder. Jack Langford, 48, Ferguson's neighbor, said he called the State Police about 9p.m. because Ferguson had parked his truck on Ritchie County Rt. 9-9. blocking Langford from reaching his house. There had been an ongoing feud between the two families which started with a physical conflict between Langford's father, Hale, 86, and Ferguson about three years before.
Sr. Trooper Larry G. Hacker is survived by his wife Diane, and two daughters, Erica, 16 years old, and Julia, 10 years old. |
