Two 20-year-olds are arrested after coal company executive was fatally shot in cemetery while visiting the grave of his deceased wife

Two 20-year-olds has been arrested after a former coal company executive was fatally shot at a cemetery in West Virginia while he was visiting his deceased wife and clearing family members' graves before Memorial Day, a sheriff said Tuesday.

Anthony R. Arriaga is being held on a homicide warrant in Allen County, Ohio, in connection to the death of Bennett K Hatfield, 59.

Arriaga reportedly emerged from the cemetery wearing just his underwear and paid a neighbor $45 to take him to Wayne County, where he told his friend Ricky Dean Peterson about the shooting.

That driver notified police after he heard about Hatfield's death, and they tracked down the suspect in Ohio. 

Peterson feigned ignorance when the police questioned him, and was arrested for obstruction and providing false information.

Hatfield was fatally shot at Mountain View Memory Gardens, a cemetery in southern West Virginia's Mingo County, where his wife of 25 years, Debbie, was buried in 2009, the Charleston Gazette Mail reported

Hatfield was fatally shot at Mountain View Memory Gardens, a cemetery in southern West Virginia's Mingo County, where his wife of 25 years, Debbie, was buried after she died from breast cancer in 2009, the Charleston Gazette Mail reported. 

He was reportedly preparing several family members' graves before Memorial Day.

His girlfriend reported he was missing after Hatfield failed to return home, and authorities traced his cellphone to the Memory Gardens, where his vehicle was also spotted, according to a criminal complaint cited by the Gazette Mail.

Hatfield's body was found around 6.30am Monday in a wooded area along the edge of the cemetery.

Authorities believe Arriaga sneaked down a river bank next to the cemetery wearing only his underwear, told someone he fell in the river, and then paid him $45 to take him to a Rite Aid in Wayne County, Smith said.

Smith thanked the driver for notifying the police, and said: 'We were totally lost. Him catching that ride helped us.'

A state police team then tracked the suspect to Wayne County and eventually into Ohio.

According to a criminal complaint, Arriaga went to his friend Ricky Dean Peterson's house in Wayne and told him about the shooting.

Peterson, who claimed he did not know anything, has been arrested and charged with obstruction, providing false information and acting as an accessory after the fact. 

Anthony Arriaga (left) has been arrested on charges of murder. He told his friend Ricky Dean Peterson (right) about the shooting, and he was arrested after feigning ignorance with the police

Meanwhile, authorities in Mingo County, West Virginia said they found a handgun in the cemetery believed to be used in the shooting.

Arriaga's clothing was also recovered.

Detectives are interviewing the 20-year-old, but a motive has not been established. 

Hatfield resigned in 2015 as president and CEO of Patriot Coal, a month before the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time. 

He was also the International Coal Group's CEO during the 2006 explosion at company's Sago Mine in northern West Virginia which killed 12 miners.  

Hatfield was fatally shot at Mountain View Memory Gardens (pictured), a cemetery in southern West Virginia's Mingo County, where his wife was buried after she died from cancer in 2009

Hatfield was named last June to the board of coal producer Foresight Energy, based in St. Louis.

He also previously held management positions with Arch Coal and Massey Energy and was a member of the West Virginia Coal Association board.

'Ben Hatfield was well known, not just for his many accomplishments within the industry, but also as a mentor to so many of us,' said Bill Bissett, president of the Kentucky Coal Association. 

'His kindness and compassion were legendary, as was his intellect and ability. His belief in those around him often succeeded our belief in ourselves, which made you work that much harder to accomplish the task at hand.' 

Arriaga waived his extradition to West Virginia, and bond has been set at $1million.