GRAFTON, W.Va. A Farmington man, Joshua Price, has been sentenced to the maximum for the harassment and ultimate shooting death of Tyler Poston in June 2021.
Judge Shawn Nines ordered Price to serve life for first-degree murder with the possibility of parole in 15 years, 20 years for arson and two 10-year sentences for computer fraud. All the sentences are to be served consecutively, beginning with the lesser charges, according to Judge Nines.
Price lured Poston to the turnout off Route 119 at the Monongalia/Taylor County line, shot him at least six times, and dragged his body into nearby brush. The shooting culminated a series of incidents engineered by Price during a child custody battle.
Before the shooting, Price admitted to trying to frame Poston for child pornography by spoofing a phone and sending objectionable images to a minor. Then Price put a suitcase together with sex-related items, staged it on the front porch of Poston’s home, and made it appear he was preparing to meet an underage person.
When those attempts failed to get Poston in legal trouble, Price then attempted to kill Poston by setting his home on fire.
Judge Shawn Nines addressed Price directly prior to sentencing. “Wicked desires have plauged men for all of history—jealousy, obsession, envy, and hatred,” Nines said. “I do not know, Mr. Price, if you will breathe free again, the choice is not mine to make, but I do know it won’t be for many years.”
Tyler’s biological father, Danny, was one of three family members who delivered victim impact statements and sternly asked Price to look him in the eyes.
“I wish he wouldn’t have had the mask because I wanted to see his facial expressions,” Poston said. “He’s evil, he’s a monster.”
Tyler’s biological mother, Crystal Johnson, was nervous, upset, as she delivered her victim impact statement.
“I’m just glad that it’s over; maybe we can actually start grieving the way we need to because we really haven’t been able to,” Johnson said. “It’s been a long time—almost two years.”
The plea deal Price agreed to had to get the approval of the Poston family, according to Tyler’s father, Danny. Danny said there were too many variables to take the case to trial, and they wanted closure.
“We did the plea deal to ensure my granddaughter is safe because, as you can see from the stuff that he’s done, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that he was going to hurt her,” Poston said. “So, the plea deal was offered, and we couldn’t take a gamble.”
Tyler’s stepfather also his supervisor at work also delivered a victim impact statement. Joe Johnson is a superintendent for a pipeline operation and worked with Tyler Poston for several months leading up to the shooting. Family time and developing ways to memorialize Tyler’s life will now be their priorities.
“It will never be gone, but we can start to move forward and not have to schedule all these meetings and conferences and talk with lawyers,” Johnson said. “It will be nice to have this part behind us.”
Taylor County Prosecutor John Bord thought the verdict was fair and just. But, like many cases in a small community, the people involved are more than names on a court docket. In 2009, Bord has a close association with Tyler.
“I serve as a volunteer football coach at the high school, and I coach linemen,” Bord said. “He was one of my linemen, Tyler and I were good friends.”