Seeking justice for Crystal: Family awaits trial date in brutal murder

Aug. 12—The family of a woman brutally stabbed to death 13 years ago continues to await justice in a decades-old saga involving jealously, brutality and the quest for a strong case to bring the perpetrator to justice.

The body of Crystal Cantrell, 36, was found Aug. 10, 2010, in the Bluestone River off Gardner Road in the Spanishburg area. The mother of two was stabbed to death.

Michael Wiseman, 56, of Welch, was arrested for the murder of Cantrell in February 2022.

Court records state Wiseman had a relationship with Cantrell — his brother's ex-wife — and had been witnessed by numerous individuals stalking and harassing her.

Wiseman, of McDowell County, was indicted for Cantrell's murder by a Mercer County Grand Jury in October of 2022. He is now awaiting a September trial.

On the anniversary of her sister's death, Annette Key spoke of the family's pain as they have awaited justice for their loved one.

"It's been very difficult, especially for my mom and (Crystal's) children," Key said. "It's been especially difficult for my mom because Crystal did so much for my mom and her kids.

"It's unsettling that (the perpetrator) has gotten away with it so far," she said.

Key noted that the murderer deprived Crystal of being a grandmother to her sons' children.

Cantrell's mother, Jeannie Cantrell, said she wants the ordeal to be concluded.

"I would just like to see this over with, and justice done for my daughter," Jeannie Cantrell said. "We all miss her so bad, and her two sons, and so many loved ones and so many people who cared for her. People keep asking what's taking so long — why they keep postponing it and postponing it. I stay upset all the time. I miss her so badly."

Although the murder occurred 13 years ago, Jeannie Cantrell says, "it seems like yesterday. No one knows what it's like to lose a daughter that way. Every time I go out, not a person doesn't ask me why is it taking so long."

----According to a criminal complaint filed by retired Corporal A.S. Reed, formerly with the Princeton detachment of the West Virginia State Police, Wiseman had a relationship with Cantrell and had been witnessed by numerous individuals stalking and harassing her.

During a preliminary hearing in 2022, Corporal Reed was asked about Cantrell's cause of death. He said she had two gashes on her throat and a stab wound in her chest, and the cause of death was stabbing.

"The victim had made statements to friends that she was breaking up with the accused on the date of the murder," Reed's complaint stated, and Wiseman and Cantrell were seen arguing along Gardner Road.

Witnesses stated they saw Cantrell attempting to walk away from Wiseman as he tried to "pull her back," according to the criminal complaint. They also stated that they saw Wiseman throw an unknown item over the guardrail, which was suspected to be the victim's keys.

"The victim's husband called the victim's phone this date and the accused answered her phone and stated, 'She is with me now,' and hung up the phone," the criminal complaint stated. "Her husband stated he could hear the victim in the background screaming for the accused to give her phone back."

Wiseman left the scene of the homicide and returned to McDowell County, according to the complaint. "The accused then fled the state to Ohio and Indiana. The accused also abandoned his Harley-Davidson motorcycle at their meeting point. The accused did not return to his full-time job never contacting his employer or fellow workers."

Cantrell's body was discovered several days later.

"The accused was later interviewed in Ohio where he admitted to being the last one to see the victim alive," according to Reed's complaint, and Wiseman admitted to fighting with Cantrell and smashing her cellphone.

"The accused denied killing the victim, stating he walked away almost to the I-77 interchange where he caught a ride with an unknown individual in an unknown make, color or style of vehicle," the complaint states.

Witnesses called during the preliminary hearing, including members of Cantrell's family, spoke about Wiseman being "very controlling," frequently stalking Cantrell and "wouldn't accept her breaking up with him," Reed said. Wiseman also called Cantrell "numerous times" until she died, and never called again afterward.

Reed said witnesses also told him how Wiseman would chase Cantrell down Route 52 on his motorcycle and get in front of her vehicle to slow her down. Witnesses stated that in one instance, he pulled her from her vehicle, "choked her and called her a bunch of names," and would throw her keys away to keep her from leaving.

In a previous interview, Reed said additional information has been gathered since the early days of the case.

----In July of 2022, Wiseman's defense filed a motion to get him off house arrest, Prosecuting Attorney Cochran said.

"They filed a motion and we objected to it," he said. The judge granted the defense request.

In April of this year, Wiseman's defense made a motion to suppress the first statement he gave to West Virginia State Police troopers while in Ohio.

This motion, too, was granted.

----Now, the family waits.

Key said it's "unsettling" for the family that the perpetrator "has gotten away with it so far."

Meanwhile, her mother continues to grieve for her murdered daughter.

"Every time I go out, not a person doesn't ask me why it is taking so long," Jeannie Cantrell said. "I feel so sorry for her two sons. It just breaks their heart to know he took her life and she didn't get to see her grandkids and everything.

"We haven't forgot her and we'll never forget her, and we'll never stop until he gets justice on earth. When he stands before Jesus Christ I know he will answer to him."

— Contact Samantha Perry at sperry@bdtonline.com