Belmont Woman Convicted of Second-Degree Murder in 2025 Shooting Death of Williamstown Man

A jury convicted Barbara Cupp of second-degree murder in the 2025 shooting death of Matthew Bills. Sentencing is set for May 28 in Parkersburg.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 28, 2026, 7:13 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from the News and Sentinel

A Decisive Verdict in Wood County

The week-long murder trial of Barbara Cupp concluded Friday afternoon in Wood County Circuit Court as a jury of seven women and five men returned a guilty verdict for second-degree murder. The conviction stems from the March 18, 2025, shooting death of 37-year-old Matthew Bills at his home in Williamstown. Cupp, who wept as the verdict was read, was also found guilty of a misdemeanor charge for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

The Prosecution’s Case: Malice Over Self-Defense

Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure argued throughout the trial that Cupp acted with malice when she shot Bills three times—once in the abdomen, once in the chest, and once in the back. While the defense maintained that Bills was the initial aggressor, Lefebure presented evidence suggesting Cupp fired the fatal shots as Bills attempted to flee the residence. The prosecution further contended that a gunshot wound Cupp sustained during the altercation was self-inflicted in a moment of panic following the killing, rather than a wound inflicted by Bills as she had testified.

Conflicting Accounts of the Shooting

The trial featured dramatic testimony from Cupp herself, who took the stand Thursday to describe a life-threatening struggle in a bathroom. Her attorney, George Cosenza, argued that Bills had shot Cupp first, breaking her clavicle and ribs, and that she only fired back to save her life. However, Lefebure highlighted inconsistencies in Cupp’s story, noting that medical records and trauma surgeon testimony did not support her claims of being struck in the head with a gun. Furthermore, forensic evidence regarding the location of a recovered bullet in the bathroom did not align with Cupp’s description of the events.