Oceana, WV (WOAY) A man is in custody and facing malicious wounding and domestic battery charges after a violent incident at a Dollar Store in Wyoming County.
According to the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Department, on April 6, deputies arrived on scene at an Oceana Dollar Store, making contact with the suspect upon arrival, identified as 49-year-old Andy Joe Hayes, who was covered in blood.
Investigators say Hayes immediately told officers, “I did it, I hit her with a sword, take me to jail.”
Authorities detained Hayes, reading him his rights and placing him in the police vehicle.
Offices discovered the victim inside the store, suffering from a visible head wound and unable to speak due to her injuries.
Witnesses report seeing the injured woman walking into the store and the suspect, covered in blood, outside the store, and confessing to assaulting her.
Investigators discovered additional evidence at a nearby residence, including large amounts of blood outside and throughout the home.
Authorities recovered a katana-style sword believed to have been used in the assault, covered in what appeared to be blood and hair.
While on the way to the Sheriff’s Department, Hayes confessed to police that he and the victim, who is his wife, got into an argument over her allegedly cheating on him.
He stated that he struck her with a fake sword, but did not hit her hard.
Hayes was taken into custody without incident and is now facing charges.
He awaits further court proceedings in Southern Regional Jail on a $51,500 cash bail.
