Two Oklahoma men charged after intruders spur shootings; in one case, victim died

Jay F. Marks

Two men — one 87 years old and the other 74 — are facing felony charges in connection with shootings sparked by intruders. The cases are unrelated, and on different sides of the state.
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Billy Easter Willis, 74, is facing the most serious charge in Marshall County.

The Madill resident was charged Monday with first-degree manslaughter in the death of a 23-year-old Ravia man.

Willis is accused of firing two shots from a .30-caliber rifle to scare people away from a party near his home on April 2, according to authorities.

One bullet went through the door of a pickup parked nearby, striking Brandan Kreger in both legs. Kreger later died from his injuries.

Willis, who is free on $20,000 bail, is accused of recklessly firing a gun, leading to Kreger’s death.

"He said he was just wanting to scare the people off his property,” Marshall County Sheriff R.V. Wilder said. "There had been some reported partying going on, apparently a lot of noise was being made near his property.

"He indicated that’s what had kept them up all night, and people were riding on his lawn with four-wheelers and stuff.”

Before he was shot, Kreger had been trying to help round up horses that were roaming near Willis’ property, officials said.

Willis faces four years to life in prison if convicted.

A similar case
In Adair County, Denver B. Adair, 87, of Stilwell was charged Tuesday with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Adair shot two men after they got into a fight in front of his house April 2, court papers state. He told authorities he thought they were burglars.

Jerod Heath Neal, one of the two hurt men, said he and Justin Hardbarger were on their way home from fishing when they argued about Hardbarger’s driving, an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent wrote in an affidavit.

The men had been drinking and stopped to urinate when they got into a fight, the affidavit states. They were fighting when Adair shot them, officials said.

"We believe that he shot just one time and managed to hit both of the victims,” prosecutor Shannon Otteson said. "It was a big 12-gauge shotgun.”

Neale, 25, was treated at a hospital and released, while Hardbarger, 27, remains hospitalized in Fayetteville, Ark.

Adair was not arrested after the shooting, but he appeared Tuesday in court on the assault charge. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

His attorney could not be reached for comment.

CONTRIBUTING:

The Associated Press

Source: http://www.newsok.com/two-oklahoma-men-charged-after-intruders-spur-shootings-in-one-case-victim-died/article/3360063

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