Jan. 23—By GREG JORDAN

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

COALWOOD — A teenager is facing a charge of felony murder after his mother was found shot twice, according to a statement issued Monday by the West Virginia State Police.

On Saturday, Jan. 20 at around 4:05 p.m., Trooper K.S. Little with the West Virginia State Police Welch detachment responded to a call in Coalwood in McDowell County and found Patricia Alger, 53, of Coalwood with two gunshot wounds, causing her death, according to Capt. R.A. Maddy, deputy chief of staff for the West Virginia State Police.

Patricia Alger was pronounced deceased at the scene by emergency medical services and her body has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy, Maddy said.

Her son, 18-year-old Franklin Alger III of Coalwood, was subsequently charged with murder and transported to the McDowell County Holding Facility in Welch pending arraignment, Maddy stated.

Franklin Alger was arraigned Sunday before Magistrate Mark Shelton, according to court records. No bond was set. Under West Virginia law, bond in first-degree murder cases must be set by a circuit court judge.

McDowell County Prosecuting Attorney Brittany Puckett said Monday that a bond hearing or a preliminary hearing had not been scheduled yet.

The investigation remained active and ongoing Monday, Maddy said.

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com