Ron Welch
Muskingum County Prosecutor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 21, 2024
West Virginia Murder Suspect Pleads Guilty to Drug, Gun Charges
A West Virginia man under investigation for an out-of-state murder confessed to firearm and drug charges in court.
William B. Ludwick III, 33, of Keyser, West Virginia, appeared before Muskingum County Court of Common Pleas Judge Gerald V. Anderson.
On November 18, Ludwick pleaded guilty to having a weapon while under disability, aggravated drug possession, and operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs.
Ludwick has multiple prior drug-related offenses in two other states. He is also under investigation for murder in West Virginia. Law enforcement believes the firearms found in his car were used in that murder.
Ludwick will be sentenced at a later date.
On September 1, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers saw Ludwick speeding while traveling on Interstate 70. Ludwick was speeding through a construction zone.
Ludwick turned onto U.S. 40 without using his turn signal and did not stop at the stop sign.
The trooper pulled Ludwick over. Ludwick was slurring his speech and had abnormally dilated eyes. His hands were covered in small cuts, and he had picked off the scabs, which is a sign of drug use.
The trooper noticed that Ludwick’s pockets were full of something. Ludwick told the trooper he had shotgun ammunition in his pockets. He also removed a plastic bag with white crystals in it.
Ludwick told the trooper that the bag contained methamphetamine. He said he had been using the drug all day, but that he was allowed to because he worked for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. He said he was also a sheriff’s deputy in West Virginia.
The trooper searched Ludwick’s car. There were marijuana pipes, a syringe, a loaded semi-automatic shotgun, and a revolver firearm.
The trooper gave Ludwick field sobriety tests.
He had difficulty standing up and his legs were shaking with tremors. Ludwick repeatedly lost his balance while doing the field tests. He failed the field sobriety tests.
Ludwick was arrested for operating a vehicle while impaired.
Muskingum County Prosecuting Attorney Ron Welch says traffic stops play a role in fighting crime.
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