Feb. 23—WELCH — A local man has been indicted by the McDowell County Grand Jury on two counts of first-degree murder in the April 2022 death of his girlfriend and her unborn child.

Jhamel Addison Scott, 24, of Welch was indicted by the February 2023 Term of the McDowell County Grand Jury on two counts of first-degree murder, according to Prosecuting Attorney Brittany Puckett.

Scott was arrested April 8, 2022 and charged with first-degree murder after the shooting death of his girlfriend, Summer Robinette, 21, at their Stewart Street home in Welch. Welch Police Chief Timothy Vineyard was dispatched at 1:33 a.m. the day of the shooting. Scott was present when Vineyard arrived and told him where the weapon could be found.

Vineyard said later that he entered the house and found Robinette on the bedroom floor beside the bed. She had been shot with a .357 handgun.

Puckett said Wednesday after the grand jury indictments were released that her office waited until the medical examiner confirmed how far Robinette was in her pregnancy.

"She was approximately 23 weeks pregnant," Puckett stated.

The decision was made to charge Scott under West Virginia's Unborn Victims of Violent Crime Act, she said.

"He was presumed to be the father, yes," Puckett said. "They were in a relationship."

Vineyard stated after the shooting that he learned how the couple had argued about four days earlier. Puckett said it was not known whether the pregnancy was a motive behind the shooting.

Scott had been free on bond, but it was revoked recently due to a bond violation, Puckett said. He is currently being held without bond at the Southwestern Regional Jail in Logan County.

Scott is scheduled to be arraigned in early March before Circuit Court Judge Edward J. Kornish.

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com