Staci Wind, Richwood, West Virginia mother charged with daughter Ayla Wind murder after reporting her missing amid evidence of violent home struggle as charred remains are found at nearby water reservoir.
A West Virginia woman has been charged with the murder of her daughter just days after reporting her missing. The mother’s arrest follows the recovery of the missing woman’s charred body at a water reservoir.
Ayla Wind, 26, was reported missing by her mother Staci Wind on May 18, stating that she had not been seen since May 15. On Friday, May 22, Ayla’s remains were found at a water reservoir in nearby Greenbrier County according to West Virginia State Police.
Come Saturday, Staci, 50, was arrested at her Richwood, Nicholas County residence.
Strange unusual final goodbye
Following Staci’s arrest, she was charged with one count of first and second-degree murder. Staci has pleaded not guilty, WDTV reported. Further charges are anticipated.
Ayla, herself a mother of a toddler, was last seen on May 15, her sibling Courtney Juan previously shared in a Facebook post.
According to police, she was last seen getting snacks at a gas station.
‘She left without saying goodbye, getting picked up by someone we don’t know anything about,’ Courtney wrote in the Facebook post, adding that Ayla had told them she was going to the lake with her friends.
Courtney said Ayla would never go a day without checking in on her son or partner and was regularly in touch with her mom.
Days after Ayla’s last sighting, human remains were found in a shallow grave in Summit Lake, WVSP stated. The remains had been burnt and two ferns had been placed atop the grave according to West Virginia Police.
Near the grave, police also found a burn pit with human bones, a cellphone matching the description of Ayla’s phone and a manual for a booster seat. Of note, the manual matched a car seat later found in Staci’s house.
Police believe the ferns had been used to cover the grave.
Search of home reveals violent struggle
Following the discovery of the remains, police executed a search warrant at the residence where Staci and Ayla were the only people living as of May 13, Ayla’s partner said in a statement, according to WCHS.
At the residence, chemical tests showed swaths of blood across the house. Investigators also discovered ferns similar to the ones found on the grave.
Crime scene teams reportedly found evidence consistent with a violent incident, including blood traces and bloody handprints in multiple areas of the residence. Investigators also recovered garbage bags containing pieces of a mattress that appeared to have been cut up and stained with blood.
During questioning, Wind told investigators she had purchased charcoal, wood chips, and lighter fluid on May 16 before going to the Summit Lake area, where she said she camped overnight in her truck. She also claimed she later gave Ayla’s mattress to an unknown man on May 20, despite evidence suggesting it remained in the home earlier during the investigation.
Police have yet to say what might have motivated Staci to allegedly kill her own daughter.
A GoFundMe has been set up to assist Ayla’s family honor her and for her child who is now motherless.
Staci Wind remains held without bond at the Central Regional Jail as the investigation continues.
