Murder-Suicide In Kanawha County

{Institute, West Virginia}...At a late Friday morning news conference in Charleston, Kanawha County Chief Deputy John Rutherford  said 54 year old Nathaniel Lawton of Institute killed his girlfriend, 53 year old Carol Ann Rhim and dismembered her body before taking his own life. Deputies believe Lawton killed Rhim sometime Tuesday. Thursday afternoon, deputies were alerted by an informant that Lawton had purchased a hacksaw, hacksaw blade and tarp from the Advance Auto Parts Store in Dunbar. After confirming the purchase, deputies went to Lawton's apartment on Barron Drive late Thursday afternoon, where they ordered Lawton to open the door and then heard a muffled gunshot. Deputies entered and found Lawton had shot himself in the head. He died before paramedics arrived. Investigators searched Lawton's vehicle and found Rhim's head and hands in the trunk. Those have been sent to the state Medical Examiner's Office. Deputies are still looking for the rest of Rhim's body. Lawton had no prior criminal history.