Located in the mountains of West Virginia, the Greenbrier Ghost is a tale of murder and revenge that has intrigued visitors and locals for generations. The story revolves around the mysterious death of Zona Heaster Shue and how her ghost helped to bring her murderer to justice.

In life, Zona Heaster was known for her beauty and charm. She met a blacksmith named Erasmus “Edward” Shue and the two fell in love. They were married in 1896, but their relationship was anything but idyllic. Zona’s mother, Mary Jane Heaster, did not approve of her daughter’s marriage and suspected that Edward had a violent temper.

Tragically, Zona’s mother’s suspicions were proven right. One cold winter day in 1897, Zona’s body was discovered in her home. She had been strangled, and her neck was broken. The official cause of death was listed as “everlasting faint,” and Edward Shue was not initially suspected of any wrongdoing.

However, a few weeks after Zona’s death, her mother had a vision in which Zona’s ghost appeared to her. In the vision, Zona told her mother that Edward Shue had murdered her. Mary Jane Heaster went to the local prosecutor and convinced him to reopen the case.

During the new investigation, Mary Jane’s account of her vision was deemed inadmissible. However, an autopsy of Zona’s body was ordered, and the examination revealed that her neck had been broken. Edward Shue was arrested and charged with murder. At trial, the prosecutor used Mary Jane’s testimony about her vision to great effect, and Edward Shue was found guilty.

The Greenbrier Ghost story is a fascinating example of a ghost story being used as evidence in a murder trial. Although the supernatural elements of the story may be difficult to prove, the story itself is an important part of West Virginia’s cultural heritage.