A man has been sentenced to 120 years in prison after pleading guilty to the murders of a woman and her son.

Joshua Penick faced two counts of murder after killing Samantha Jerrell and her son, then burying their bodies at Bear Run Mine.

The investigation began in October 2024, when a coworker reported Jerrell missing, noting it was unusual for her to miss work. Police started looking into Penick's background and discovered a prior domestic battery incident involving him and Jerrell.

In June 2024, a case was filed against Penick for sex crimes involving a child. Police attempted to reach him but were unsuccessful. They tracked his phone, leading them to a location search, but he was not found.

Penick's father told police that his son called him saying, "Sh** went south and I can't talk

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