Klamath Falls, Ore. – A Klamath County teen spends his 18th birthday pleading ‘guilty’ to charges that he shot and killed his father.
18 year old Roscoe Lee Townsend will spend 12 years in custody on charges including criminally negligent homicide.
District Attorney Rob Patridge says he’s relieved to have the case resolved…
“It’s good for the defendant, because he has certainty, and because he’s able to go to an Oregon Youth Authority and hopefully turn his life around.”
Townsend shot his 47 year old father Dustin Townsend in Bly on December first of 2015.
“I went out to see what happened.” Noted witness Thomas Rikard. “And he said that his cousin had been shot. I instantly tried to help him, and he said, ‘no, don’t go in there – you don’t want to see it.”
The victim was shot twice with a bolt action rifle.
“The defendant claims that he thought he was stabbing his brother.” Explains D.A. Patridge. “There was a knife that was involved at some time. There was no knife, though, to he had by the father – and he shot the dad.”
Townsend told the judge that he had been drinking heavily.
“How much had you had to drink?” Asked Judge Roxanne Osborne.
Townsend indicated that he had drank a fifth of hard liquor.
Townsend will be eligible for treatment programs, and possible early release.
Townsend could have faced a minimum sentence of 25 years if convicted on murder charges, he pleaded to lesser charges as part of a negotiated agreement.
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