Preliminary hearings have been scheduled in Upshur County Magistrate Court for three men police say were involved in the death of 29-year-old Joshua Oberg.
Robert Eugene Siron III, 30, of Weston, and Jesse Lee Heater, 28, of Buckhannon, will have their hearings on Aug. 27 before Magistrate Juanita Adams. Both are being held without bond in the regional jail system as they face first-degree murder charges.
Rodolpho Correa Villagomez, 32, of Buckhannon, will have his preliminary hearing Aug. 30 before Adams. Villagomez is facing a charge of being an accessory before the fact to first-degree murder. He is being held without bond in the regional jail system.
A preliminary hearing is held to determine if there is enough evidence in the case to warrant grand jury proceedings. The next term of the Upshur County grand jury is scheduled for Sept. 10.
Oberg's remains were discovered in a shallow grave along Bull Run Road on July 23, not long after West Virginia State Police officers received information about the location. Heater was taken into custody that evening, while Villagomez and Siron were arrested the following day.
Investigators allege that Heater killed Oberg some time after Oberg was last seen on Jan. 23. Oberg was reported missing on Jan. 27. Some time after those alleged events, investigators stated on the criminal complaint in magistrate court that Heater received a "substantial" cash payment from Villagomez.
Siron was said to have been an eyewitness to Oberg's death, and he reportedly received money from Heater, according to the complaint.
Police officers are also looking into a possible connection between Oberg's death and the July 18 disappearance of Luke Stout of Buckhannon.
Investigators have reported receiving several calls from the public indicating the two cases may be linked, though investigators have not said how the two matters may be related.
