Bond revoked in WVSP whistleblower's domestic violence case

RITCHIE COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) — The bond of West Virginia State Police whistleblower Joseph Comer has been revoked in a domestic violence case against him, court records said.

The order was filed in Ritchie County Circuit Court on Thursday, according to court records. An arrest warrant was issued Thursday and West Virginia State Police said Comer turned himself in to the Parkersburg Police Department on Friday.

Prosecutors said in the filing that Comer is accused of having contact with Vikki Marra, his accuser in the domestic violence case, in June 2023, which would violate his bond conditions.

“Upon review of the records received from AT&T, it is clear the defendant has been having contact with the victim,” the filing said. “Based on the records attached, first contact was June 16, 2023.”

Prosecutors said the contact was followed by about 89 phone calls lasting about 32 hours.

On June 21, Marra informed prosecutors she wanted to drop the charges against Comer. Prosecutors said this sentiment was the opposite of what she’d expressed in the days before June 16.

Marra had originally accused Comer of assaulting her during a custody exchange of a child that they share together.

Eyewitness News learned Marra allegedly used associates to reach out to Comer, explaining she was encouraged by former West Virginia State Police leadership to fabricate the accusations which led to criminal charges and a domestic violence protection order.

Sources told Eyewitness News that Marra later alleged an officer assigned to her case filled out a criminal complaint and took a photograph introduced as evidence. Marra said the photograph that showed bruises on her neck were intentionally mischaracterized and were not from Comer grabbing her by the throat.

Marra, who was also a trooper with West Virginia State Police, has since resigned from the agency, Eyewitness News has learned.

Both Comer and his attorney have continually insisted the targets were part of a smear campaign orchestrated by former State Police administrators who suspected he was the whistleblower outlining numerous alleged instances of criminal activity.

The alleged misdeeds include theft, fraud and the cover-up of a video camera placed inside the West Virginia State Police Academy's women's locker room, along with the subsequent destruction of that camera's video recordings.

Sid Bell is serving as Comer's attorney and told Eyewitness News attorneys plan to file a motion next week to get the bond reinstated.