Victim's family calls Joshua Price 'evil' and 'villain' during sentencing in Taylor County Circuit Court

Jun. 15—GRAFTON — Phrases such as 'pure hate' and 'pure evil' and 'villain' filled a Taylor County courtroom Wednesday morning as members of Tyler McKenzie Poston's family addressed their loved one's killer face-to-face.

Taylor County Circuit Court Judge Shawn Nines sentenced Joshua Blake Price, 31, of Farmington, to consecutive terms for multiple crimes, including first-degree murder and first-degree arson. Nines sentenced Price to two separate consecutive 10-year terms for computer fraud, 20 years for the arson charge and life in prison with mercy for the murder charge. Price entered into a plea agreement on the charges in April.

Nines told the court that the sentences will be served in order, starting with the computer crimes, then the arson charge and then the murder charge which means the life sentence for murder will kick in 40 years from now.

In handing down the sentences, Nines addressed Price and pointed out that he never enters into plea agreements, but did so in this case because it's what Poston's family wanted.

"Tyler was a tender-hearted, caring, compassionate, give-you-the-shirt-off-his-back man," Nines said before a courtroom filled with about 80 attendees.

"I will be remembered for the good things I brought to this world, however, you will be remembered for the evil you brought to this world. The lengths you went to to hurt Tyler are beyond words," Nines continued.

Nines characterized Price as being cold and displaying indifference throughout each court preceding.

"You've never said anything or done anything to show this court you were remorseful," Nines said.

In making his victim's impact statement, Poston's stepfather Joe Johnson, said that Poston's murder could have been prevented if the Taylor County Sheriff's Office had properly investigated the Jan. 12, 2021 arson of Poston's Grafton home in the 1300 block of Victory Avenue.

"I pray that you are haunted by the devil's worst demons," Johnson said. "You are a coward if there ever was one. I am celebrating the fact that you are going away for a very long time."

Johnson attacked Taylor County Sheriff Terry Austin saying the sheriff first tried to close the case as a suicide, and then even tried to implicate him because he was the first on the scene and the one who called 911. Johnson also said Austin attempted to characterize the murder as "a drug deal gone bad." However, Johnson gave heaps of praise to Lt. Brian Purkey of the Violent Crimes Task Force of Harrison County, which eventually took the lead on the investigation.

Taylor County Prosecuting Attorney John Bord said more than 40 potential witnesses including experts in cell phone technology were interviewed during the 15-month investigation that generated "over 28,000 pages of documents and data."

Poston's body was found on June 25, 2021, on 119 North where he had been shot eight times, two shots more than was originally revealed. Price lured Poston to the site dressed as Poston's ex-wife Faith under the premise that she needed help. Faith, who has a seven-year-old daughter with Poston, had ended their relationship and married Price. Price, according to testimony, was trying to frame Poston on a child pornography charge so he could get custody of their seven-year-old daughter, Karmendi.

During the investigation, police found an expired driver's license at the scene that led officers to Price, who used to own and operate the now-shuttered West Side Trading Post on Jackson Street in Fairmont. (In February 2020, Price shot and killed 75-year-old Walter Elmer Boyles, of Fairmont, at the pawn shop. No charges were filed against Price.)

"He will always be my baby boy," Poston's mother Crystal Johnson said, reading her victim impact statement. "The memories from that day will forever haunt me."

She described her son Tyler as a loving and caring man who loved to hunt, but most of all, he loved his family. She said he was proud to play dress up with Karmendi and let her paint his fingernails and fix his hair.

Crystal Johnson called Price a coward for shooting her son in the back. She said that crime scene investigators determined that Price continued shooting Poston even after he tried to run for his life.

"That is pure hate and you are pure evil," she said. "You murdered my son and left him there like trash. In the end, you did not not win and everybody knows you're evil."

Wearing a face mask, Price appeared unremorseful while Johnson spoke as he looked down at the table where he sat with his defense attorney, Scott Shough.

Crystal Johnson said she will never be able to escape what happened to her son because she is forced to drive by the crime scene daily. She called Price "ruthless" and "an unremorseful villain."

When he approached the microphone to speak, Poston's father, Danny Poston composed himself from crying, looked at Price and said, "Look up this way, boy. I'm talking to you. You took my son."

Even though Wednesday's hearing gave Poston's family a specific type of closure, Danny Poston still has questions.

"What did you gain? You crushed Karmendi by taking her daddy? You're going to rot in prison," Danny Poston said.

Judge Nines said Price can appeal for a reduced sentence in 120 days.

Reach Eric Cravey

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