19-05-2025
Friends and family protest, demanding justice for Robin Massey, who was killed in an accident while on horseback
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) – Friends, family, and other community members took to the streets of Beckley to demand justice for their friend and her horse who tragically died after being struck by a vehicle.
Woman demands justice for sister who was hit and killed while on horseback
On July 7, 2024, Robin Massey and her horse Chaos were hit and killed by a car driven by Jesse Acord. Robin and her friends were on horseback crossing the street on Lester Highway and Church Street to return home when tragedy stuck.
Police reports reveal that Acord was driving on a suspended license, while driving too fast, and was never given a sobriety test. When the accident took place, Accord did not have his license on him, which can be seen in body cam footage 59News obtained by a FOIA request.
Nearly a year later, Robin's friends and family are still waiting for justice to be served.
'There is a lot of questions surrounding her accident and things that happened. You know? It does not seem to make sense how someone can have a history of reckless driving and driving on a suspended license. In the body cam footage, the officer is questioning [Acord] if he is on methadone or Suboxone. But yet no field sobriety tests, drug or alcohol tests and he has not been charged, not taken to jail,' said Jessica Massey, Robin's sister.
'I do not understand why there has not been justice for Robin. We are out here trying to be peaceful, but we are all angry and frustrated that Raleigh County Sheriff's Department has allowed this man to walk free and they have not done anything. He was driving with a suspended license. I know people with lesser charges have been arrested for that. He has a rap sheet a mile long and they just continue to do nothing,' said Lisa Pharo, one of Robin's best friends.
According to West Virginia Magistrate Records, Acord has a history of violations like speeding, reckless driving, and driving on a suspended license that was revoked for DUI.
'By now, this guy is probably long gone, unfortunately. We do not get to have Robin. I do not get to have Robin. Her family does not get to have Robin,' added Pharo.
'It's devastating. It's every you know, every day, it's it's it's just on my mind – the injustices and and the idea that, you know, it was supposed to be me and her in the end, and now she's gone down and that's hard to accept,' said Jessica Massey.
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Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney Tom Truman said he is reviewing the responding officer's body cam footage to assess this case.
He released a statement, saying:
At this stage, there is insufficient evidence to support a charge of negligent homicide. A distracted driver such as texting while driving would be one possible factor…So far officers have not been able to locate the driver's phone. That remains an open part of the investigation… As there is no evidence at this point that a felony was committed, the state will need to make a final charging decision prior to the statute of limitations running out.
Tom Truman, Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney
In short, Truman could only prosecute Acord for 'Driving on an Administratively Suspended License,' which is a misdemeanor.
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