CHARLESTON, W.Va. (KOIN) — A Springfield man was killed after attacking a woman in West Virginia, and now police are looking into whether he had other victims.
Charleston police identified the man on Wednesday as 45-year-old Neal Falls from Springfield, Oregon.
Falls met the woman on the website Backpage.com. According to police, he beat and choked the woman on Saturday at a residence in Charleston. She was able to grab Falls’ handgun after he laid it down. She shot him once, killing him.
Police said investigators found several axes, a shovel, bleach, handcuffs, knives, a machete and other items in Falls’ car.
The woman’s name hasn’t been released. Police said the shooting was in self-defense.
Charleston police are investigating whether Falls is connected to other crimes around the country. According to the Charleston Gazette-Mail, detectives believe he may have been involved in a string of similar crimes based on the items found in his car.
Police are looking into whether Falls is tied to the disappearance of 6 women in Chillicothe, Ohio. Four of the women were found dead.
Some of the women reportedly prostituted themselves to support their heroin addictions.The Associated Press contributed to this report
