WCHS Eyewitness News Home Charleston Eyewitness Newsroom Charleston Storm Team Weather Sports News TV Program Schedule Community Mobile-Cellphone and PDA Get Connected SMS Text Facebook Twitter RSS News Feed Email List


EXCLUSIVE: CO-WORKER'S CONFESSION
Shoe Salesman's Chilling Confession Released After Murder Plea

Reported by: Send eMail Leslie Rubin
Videographer: Leslie Rubin/Troy Morgan
Web Producer: Leslie Rubin
Reported: Dec. 19, 2012 11:21 PM EST
Updated: Dec. 19, 2012 11:41 PM EST

EYEWITNESS ONLINE WEBCAST VIDEO
C L I C K   T O   P L A Y
Charleston , Kanawha County , West Virginia

A chilling confession by a co-worker turned killer. Kathy Goble's family is getting their first feelings of justice, as the man accused in her murder pleads guilty.

Eyewitness News has exclusively obtained a copy of the taped confession by Charles March. A confession that closed a two year missing person's mystery.

After two court hearings on Wednesday, March finally went through with a plea deal. He's now guilty of first degree murder for the killing and dismemberment of his Kelley's Mens Shop co-worker, Kathy Goble.

March went against the advice of his lawyer and pleaded guilty to the capital offense. In return, the state dropped the concealment of a human body charge. Under the plea, March did not have to go on the record and lay out a factual basis for the crime, instead the state and Detective Sean Snuffer testified to the facts of the case.

In gruesome details talked about in open court for the first time, Snuffer testified that March confessed to tying Goble to his bed with neckties, strangling her, dismembering her in his bathtub with a saw, and burying her body parts beside of his trailer in Chesapeake.

His son discovered the remains two years and one day after her disappearance.

March claimed in court that the killing was "unintentional."

Not played in court today was that video taped confession made by March to the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office on the day of his arrest.

He willingly gave a statement to police, but at the time, he was not aware that Goble's dismembered body had been found buried in his yard.

"Charlie, right now, we're up at your house and we're executing some search warrants. Do you know what that would be about?" asked Det. Snuffer.

"No," he calmly responded.

For several minutes, March denied knowing anything about Goble's disappearance and one day before his eventual arrest, but it didn't take long for Snuffer to get him to crack, and without any more hesitation, he came clean.

"I feel evil about this. I dismembered her and buried her," March said.

"Where did you bury her?" asked Snuffer.

"The back yard," he responded.

Most of the details are too graphic for publication, but March claims throughout the confession that Goble wanted him to kill her. However, investigators say no evidence was ever found to support that claim.

"I know the world is going to look at me as evil and I guess I am," he said.

"How did you cut her up?" asked Snuffer.

"I did it in the bathtub."

"In the house?" asked the detective.

"Which I couldn't do it that night. Couldn't do it that night. I just cut her up and wrapped her in a blanket. Took her out and said a prayer and buried her," March said.

"What did you use to cut her up?" asked Snuffer.

"A handsaw," March answered.

Calmly explaining to Snuffer how he executed the murder, he explained that he didn't get rid of the evidence because in the back of his mind he said he wanted to get caught.

"It all just seems like something that you've seen on television. Everything just went like 'boom, boom, boom.' I'm thinking, 'why?' It's hard for me to believe, it's actually hard for me to believe," he said.

For two years March went to work and acted like nothing happened.

"I'm really glad this is all over," he said during the confession.

March will be sentenced in January. Judge Duke Bloom will decide if he will get mercy, which would make him eligible for parole in 15 years.



MORE NEWS FROM EYEWITNESS NEWS
BELLE FIRE
Investigators Say Belle Fire Appears To Be Arson
Eyewitness News Photo
May. 18, 2013 10:17 PM EDT
A fire destroyed a trailer in Belle Friday night, and ...
Full News Story and Video

DIABETES FUNDRAISER
Empty Glass Event To Benefit Diabetes Foundation
Eyewitness News Photo
May. 18, 2013 11:46 PM EDT
You can listen to some good music while supporting ...
Full News Story and Video

ARMED FORCES DAY
Vegas Icon Helps To Honor Local Armed Forces Members
Eyewitness News Photo
May. 18, 2013 8:33 PM EDT
People around the country took time Saturday to honor ...
Full News Story and Video



News Powerball Jackpot Stands At $600 Million
May. 18, 2013 11:18 PM EDT
News Dunbar Events Get Families Back To The Park
May. 19, 2013 4:25 AM EDT
News Kanawha Grand Jury Returns Indictments
May. 18, 2013 6:34 PM EDT
News Police Investigating Robbery At Embassy Suites
May. 18, 2013 6:35 PM EDT
News South Charleston Officials Moving Forward With Bond Sale
May. 18, 2013 9:00 PM EDT
News Book Examines Legal Fights Surrounding Blankenship
May. 19, 2013 4:37 AM EDT
News Several Bear Sightings Reported In South Charleston
May. 18, 2013 8:59 PM EDT
News Boyd County Deputies Bust Nine Meth Labs, Eight In One Home
May. 18, 2013 6:35 PM EDT
News WV Agency Hands Out All Available Reunion Kits
May. 18, 2013 4:53 PM EDT
News New Coin Commemorates WV 150th Birthday
May. 18, 2013 8:59 PM EDT
News 3-D Printers An Emerging Industry
May. 18, 2013 4:11 PM EDT
News 20 Seniors Could Be In Trouble Over Wayne High Vandalism
May. 18, 2013 2:37 AM EDT
News Man Arrested After Allegedly Making Young Girls Pose Provocatively In Front Of Webcam
May. 17, 2013 11:33 PM EDT
News Five Injured In Wyoming County Accident
May. 17, 2013 10:56 PM EDT
News Former Smithers Fire Chief Indicted
May. 17, 2013 10:57 PM EDT
News Clay County Man Indicted On Meth Charges
May. 18, 2013 2:18 AM EDT
News Top-Selling Comedians Perform In Huntington
May. 17, 2013 10:52 PM EDT
News 2,000 Take Part In Relay For Life
May. 18, 2013 2:27 AM EDT
News Make-A-Wish Sends Girl To Disney World
May. 18, 2013 2:28 AM EDT
News Crews Respond To Altizer Fire
May. 17, 2013 10:57 PM EDT
News Parents of Toddler Arrested, Charged With Meth-Making
May. 18, 2013 2:30 AM EDT
News Sissonville Man Beats The Odds
May. 17, 2013 6:42 PM EDT
News Cabell Huntington Observes EMS Week
May. 18, 2013 2:32 AM EDT
News Putnam Man Arrested On Meth Charges
May. 17, 2013 8:11 PM EDT
News Couple Arrested On Child Neglect Charges
May. 17, 2013 8:07 PM EDT
News Kasich To Alert Families To Execution Mercy
May. 17, 2013 5:55 PM EDT
News IRS Targeting Scandal Focus Of Poll
May. 17, 2013 5:28 PM EDT
News Unemployment Rates Fall In WV, Ohio In April
May. 17, 2013 4:53 PM EDT
News Huntington VA Medical Center Debuts New Women's Clinic
May. 18, 2013 2:14 AM EDT
News Herd Signs Basketball Recruit For Next Season
May. 17, 2013 4:21 PM EDT


Advertise on WCHS-TV Online

West Virginia News
Ex.-W.Va. fire chief indicted in funds probe

A grand jury in Fayette County has indicted the former chief of a volunteer fire department and his wife on felony charges related to allegedly taking department funds for personal use.
Full Story

Kentucky News
Murder charges dismissed in double slaying

Prosecutors have dropped murder charges against a migrant worker in the deaths of two unidentified people.
Full Story

Ohio News
Obama to address Morehouse College commencement

President Barack Obama is delivering the commencement address at Morehouse College, the historically black, all-male institution that counts Martin Luther King Jr. among its alumni.
Full Story

Fugitive Files
Wanted: May. 14, 2013 You Can Help!
Fugitive Fugitive Fugitive Seen them? Call 888-720-TIPS
Details about these Fugitives

Behind The Kitchen Door
May 16, 2013
Shoney's-Charleston, Hibachi, Blues BBQ makes the list. Find out who has violations and who gets the Clean Kitchen Award!
Story and Video

2013 NEWS: JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | CURRENT
2012 NEWS: JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC







Fire!Fire!

Fugitive Files Tuesdays at 6 PM on Eyewitness News

West Virginia Wildlife Wednesdays at 6 PM on Eyewitness News

Newscast Scripts

ABC News web site





How To Contact WCHS-TV8 | Privacy Policy | FCC Public File | Terms and Conditions | DMCA Policy | Frequently Asked Questions

Home | Eyewitness News Newsroom | Storm Team Weather | Eyewitness Sports | Schedules

Send Mail Send email to news@wchstv.com for information or comments concerning WCHS-TV Eyewitness News.

Copyright ©2013, WCHS-TV8. Portions are
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or distributed.