Three arraigned for murder attempt

Three Maryland men accused of attempted murder and arson turned themselves in to Morgan County authorities in recent days.

Richard Lewis Ihler, 22,

and Christopher Lesser, 22, both of Silver Spring, and Bryan Woods, 21, of Rockville allegedly plotted to kill

Ihler's grandparents in Morgan County.

In the criminal complaint filed in Magistrate Court, West Virginia State Police say the three men confessed to attempting to murder Mr. & Mrs. Richard Conley by setting their trailer on fire.

Ihler lives with the Conleys in Silver Spring. The couple also own a mobile home on Nebo Road, west of Great Cacapon. The crimes took place at the trailer around 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 8.

Ihler, Lesser and Woods allegedly poured gasoline around the trailer and lit it while the Conleys were inside. Richard Conley noticed the flames outside and the couple escaped without injury. The trailer was not seriously damaged in the blaze.

When State Trooper J. C. McDonald arrived at the scene, he found Lesser in the woods wearing a business suit, a black trench coat and business shoes. Lesser told police that he was just taking a walk.

At the State Police barracks three hours later, Lesser confessed to plotting the crimes with Ihler and Woods, according to the criminal complaint.

The three men were each charged with two counts of attempted murder and one

count of attempted arson. Each count of attempted murder

carries a possible prison sentence of 3-to-15 years, and attempted



Each of the men was arraigned before Magistrate Kermit Ambrose, who set their bonds at $75,000 apiece.

Ihler was released on bond that was posted by his grandparents. Lesser was also released on bond. Woods remains in the Eastern Regional Jail in lieu of bond.