John Lee Wolfe, shown in court, was convicted of planning the murder of Henry Silver. (Courtroom screenshot from WBOY 12 News/YouTube; Victim’s photo from GoFundMe)
A member of the Pagan Motorcycle Club in West Virginia was found guilty of planning the murder of a man who had an affair with the mother of his child.
John Lee Wolfe was found guilty of plotting the murder of 29-year-old Henry Silver. He was found guilty on Friday of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit a felony, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. West Virginia MetroNews reported. Four others face charges in the killing.
The murder occurred in the parking lot of Wolfe’s girlfriend's apartment on Sept. 9, 2022, in Carolina, West Virginia.
A neighbor informed a local CBS affiliate WDTV that there was arguing outside, someone was walking back and forth, and a truck arrived.
“And suddenly, we're with our kids in the bedroom, and then we heard pops which we thought were fireworks, and we looked out the window, and there was somebody standing out here with somebody who was shot on the pavement,” the neighbor told the station.
Wolfe was taken into custody on Oct. 20, 2022.
Quoting court documents, The Times West Virginian reported Marion County Assistant Prosecutor Sean Murphy stated that the murder was carried out through the “Pagan’s brotherhood and creed.” He said the gang sees girlfriends and spouses as “property” and affairs as “property theft.”
“As the saying goes, play stupid games-win stupid prizes,” the prosecutor wrote, the news outlet reported. “These men shall reap what they sow with their beliefs and conduct.”
After learning about the affair, Wolfe discussed with the local club chapter president about “the need to do something to put a stop to it eventually, teach Henry a lesson and get rid of Doe,” Murphy wrote, The Times West Virginian reported, Doe being the alias for Wolfe’s girlfriend.
The prosecutor wrote, the paper reported, “Clearly this was club business.” He added, “Clearly this was organized murder conducted by a group of men who operate in a manner which is in keeping with the rules, regulations and modus operandi of a paramilitary domestic terrorist organization.”
Wolfe’s defense attorneys, Scott Alan Shough and John Colton Rogers, tried to argue against allowing the Pagan evidence into the case, the paper said.
“Mr. Silver was having an affair with his significant other,” Rogers wrote, the paper reported. “Got into a verbal confrontation with Mr. Silver prior to the shooting, called a group of individuals to murder Mr. Silver on his behalf … and is also a Pagan!”
Silver’s family mourned the loss of the father of seven. His sister said on a GoFundMe page that the Pennsylvania “father, brother, son and best friend” was amazing.
“He had his whole life left to live and he was stolen from us at only 29 years old,” she wrote.
His obituary said he was an arborist who enjoyed playing guitar, riding all-terrain vehicles, fishing, art and hanging with family and friends.
“I long for that boy. He was my eldest son,” his father said to the WDTV. “He was 29 years old, and they took him from us.”