He Chose Violence

Sadly, too many children witness their parents arguing and worse. Sometimes those arguments lead to violence. Here, the parents were still living together but no longer married. Divorced five years prior. They had three children living at home—two juveniles and the mother’s young adult son from a previous relationship.

The fight happened on a holiday—the parents chose to go their separate ways, perhaps to calm down. The ex-wife went to a friend’s home. It’s unknown where the ex-husband went.

When the two juvenile children ran to their stepbrother’s bedroom to tell him about the argument, he sent them across the street to their grandparents’ home. He told the children regarding the stepfather, “He might have to punch him or shoot him.”

The stepson held his rifle while contemplating the confrontation. He later told police that while he waited for his stepfather to return, he loaded his rifle but then unloaded it.

When the stepfather returned, the stepson confronted him about arguing with his mother—the son felt the man also abused his mother. The stepson said his stepfather kept advancing on him, pushed him and choked him. He loaded the rifle and shot, hitting his stepfather in the abdomen.

After the stepson shot his stepfather, he called for emergency services and attempted to render aid. His stepfather didn’t survive.

The authorities charged him with murder. As a trial date neared, he agreed to a plea deal and pleaded guilty to reckless homicide. The maximum sentence for reckless homicide in the state where this crime occurred was six years. The judge sentenced the 21-year-old to six years in prison with credit for time served in jail awaiting trial.

The stepson has since appealed his sentence. The adult son had never had a job, didn’t have a driver’s license (permit only), and according to the stepfather’s relatives, spent all his time in his room playing video games. These facts played into the court’s consideration of the young man’s character. The appeal judges denied his appeal and said,

“Other, safer, more reasonable options were available. Instead, he chose violence, shooting his stepfather within earshot of the children and the victim’s family.”

Source: County Sheriff’s Office, State Court of Appeal

All data and information provided is for information and research purposes only and not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, or individual. Criminal cases may have been appealed or verdicts overturned since I researched the case. All information is provided on an as-is basis.