Judge William Nooter ordered Tyrone Height and James Young held Thursday on suspicion of first-degree felony murder while armed for the shooting death of Willard Carlos Shelton.
Police found Shelton with gunshot wounds after responding to a report of a shooting in the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road Southeast early on August 31. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Three days later, Height and Young were arrested on suspicion of felony murder while armed.
Charging documents say that on the night of the shooting, a witness saw Height and Young standing with handguns, “shooting multiple times” at Shelton in a parking lot at the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road Southeast.
According to the documents, the witness said it called the police and provided information about the shooting but did not say who shot the decedent. Later the witness told police that, at the time, it “did not want to get further involved in the situation.”
In subsequent interviews, the witness told police that Young was standing on the sidewalk, firing a black semi-automatic handgun with his right hand at Shelton, who “attempted to run away and hide between several parked cars in the parking lot.” Height was standing by a nearby playground, firing a silver handgun with his right hand at Shelton, according to the witness.
Documents say the witness saw Shelton get shot and fall to the ground. Then, according to the witness, Young walked over to Shelton, went through Shelton’s pants pocket, and took his wallet and car keys. The witness added that it saw some of Shelton’s personal items fall out of the wallet and “scatter across the parking lot.”
The witness then watched Young move away from the scene before the police arrived.
Defense attorney Dana Page argued that the charging documents did not explain what the witness was doing on the scene or provide any explanation of possible biases that the witness may have towards her client, Height.
Page further argued that the witness version of events was not corroborated by any other evidence written in the charging documents.
Young’s attorney Ferris Bond added that there was no proof that his client did not act in self-defense.
A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for September 18 at 10:30 a.m. before Judge John Ramsey Johnson.
Charging documents have been added to this post.
