It was originally thought to be death by suicide. But 40 years later, a new confession and a plea deal have brought closure to a case in Brooke County. Eyewitness News said a 911 tip in November 2024 changed the course of the cold case. The death of Edward Adams in 1987 had been ruled a suicide until his son, James Adams Sr. called 911 to confess to his father’s death at their home in Wellsburg. The son is now 63 and lives in Chester. He was indicted by a grandy jury and evaluated by a forensic psychiatrist before his trial. A plea deal was eventually accepted, and Adams was given a life sentence with no chance of parole. After forty years, the case is closed.