Shirlene Chap

Shirlene Chapman lived in the Big Chimney area of Kanawha County, West Virginia, where she was known to friends and neighbors as a familiar presence in her community. Her life—like every life—contained relationships, routines, and ordinary moments that mattered to the people closest to her. On September 16, 2017, Shirlene died in Charleston/Big Chimney at the age reported in public records; her loss left family and community members grieving.

What is publicly documented about Shirlene’s final days focuses on the events surrounding her death and the subsequent legal process. The West Virginia medical examiner determined her death was the result of a gunshot wound; law-enforcement reporting and court records show the matter moved into a criminal prosecution. In October 2018, a person charged in connection with her death pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, and in December 2018 that person was sentenced. Those facts appear in established local news reporting and court notices.

Public records and news coverage provide only limited personal details about Shirlene herself. Out of respect for her memory and for anyone who loved her, it is important to hold to what is verifiable rather than speculate about her private life. Even with a sparse public record, it is right to recognize that Shirlene was more than the circumstances of her death: she was someone with ties to family and community in Kanawha County, and her passing had real human consequences for those who knew her.

If family members or friends wish to provide photographs, personal remembrances, or details about her life—work, hobbies, relationships, and the qualities that made her unique—those would allow a fuller, more personal memorial to be created. For now, this page honors the dignity of Shirlene Chapman by acknowledging her as a person who mattered to others and by recording the verified public facts with care and restraint.