KENT COUNTY, MI — A Kent County home owner who traded gunfire with an intruder making an attempt to steal his truck keys, killing the person, was justified in making use of fatal power, prosecutors have dominated.
Kent County Prosecutor Christopher Becker issued a ruling Tuesday, May 3 on the March 30 capturing at a Byron Township home on 108th Road just east of Wilson Avenue.
He ruled that property owner Alan Lenhart was inside of his ideal to shoot and kill 39-year-previous Christopher Carl-James Well worth of Middleville.
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Becker performed a 911 connect with that Lenhart’s wife produced, revealing the chaos in the minutes before the capturing.
Law enforcement thought Well worth wanted to steal a pickup parked outside the Lenhart property and he hoped to obtain the keys inside of.
An autopsy showed Worth had both equally methamphetamine and THC, the active component in marijuana, in his system.
Worth was a parole absconder and law enforcement think that, earlier March 30, he crashed a U-Haul truck in Allegan County then stole a Chevy Malibu in the area. That Malibu was uncovered in a industry near the 108th Road address.
Lenhart explained to investigators he awoke late March 30 to hear a bang and see anyone breaking out his pickup’s back window. Lenhart’s spouse wedged a chair against the back door knob to test to reduce entry.
Becker claimed the investigation reveals Value attempted to pressure his way in and told the property owner “Give me the keys aged gentleman.” As Truly worth created his way via the door, shots were being exchanged involving the two males.
Police afterwards uncovered 13 shell casings on the house’s breezeway floor from Worth’s 9 mm gun. They also recovered two shotgun conditions from Lenhart’s gun.
Worth was inside the property when he was shot, Becker stated. He then retreated exterior and collapsed in the yard. He died from a single gunshot wound to the remaining higher shoulder.
“Numerous bullet holes ended up observed by crime scene investigators all more than the inside of the dwelling,” Becker wrote.
In his belief, Becker pointed out that Lenhart warned Well worth to go away and that he had a shotgun.
“Mr. Lenhart had the ideal to fire as many pictures as he essential to generate Mr. Truly worth from his dwelling, defending himself and his spouse,” Becker wrote.
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