West Virginia native Wanda Palmer was in a coma for over two years and finally woke up—to identify her brother as her attacker. This is one of those cases with a soap opera twist.
West Virginia Woman Wakes Up from 2-Year Coma and IDs Brother as Her Attacker in a 2020 Murder Attempt
On June 10, 2020 in Cottageville, WV, Wanda Palmer was found unconscious and with head injuries in her home. At the time, Daniel Palmer, the victim’s brother was on the shortlist as a suspect but the evidence and witnesses just weren’t there to where the police could pursue charges against him.
In describing Wanda’s injuries to WCHS-TV, Jackson County Sheriff Ross Mellinger said:
“I wouldn’t have wagered a nickel for her life that morning, she was in that bad of shape. Quite honestly, she was unconscious, circling the drain medically. Massive, massive amounts of head trauma, consistent with some sort of machete or hatchet-type injury.”
Wanda Palmer goes into a nursing home for care while Daniel remained out and about in West Virginia. It appears that a coma was good enough and he wasn’t expecting her to wake up and identify him.
Minus the coma recovery, Daniel’s situation is similar to some cases I’ve come across from the South and Midwest. There are people in a town who know that someone either did the crime or had close involvement but the police’s hands are tied and the suspect is just…among the community.
It’s definitely a case for City Confidential.
A little over two years later on June 27, 2022, police got a call from a protective services worker. Wanda was able to speak in single words now and could respond to others. By July 12, Wanda was being interviewed by a deputy and named her brother Daniel as her attacker.
Daniel Palmer was charged with attempted murder and malicious wounding and is being held on $500,000 bail.
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