LIBERTY – A Liberty man was charged with voluntary manslaughter and possession of a weapon during a violent crime in connection with the shooting death of another man at his home last Wednesday night.

John William McCarty, 46, of 237 Watts Road in Liberty, was arrested shortly after 2 p.m. Friday. Bond was denied on both charges.

Aaron Bradley Mitchell, 22, of 211 Brookside Drive, Apt. D, in Duncan, died from a gunshot wound to his chest following an altercation at McCarty’s home around 11:45 p.m. July 15.

The Pickens County Coroner’s Office said Mitchell was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two other men were at the home at the time of the shooting and one was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The fourth man was not injured.

McCarty and two of the men live at the residence and Mitchell was a guest, according to a release from the Sheriff’s Department.

According to the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were sent to the residence about 45 minutes before the shooting to investigate a report of a disturbance. While there, they spoke to three of the four men but determined no crime had occurred and left.

A second verbal dispute apparently erupted after the deputies left, which led to a physical confrontation between one of the residents and Mitchell on the back porch of the home.

According to warrants, McCarty fired two shots from a Beretta 9mm handgun through an exterior window, striking Mitchell. Mitchell was found on the back porch and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 9mm handgun was recovered from the residence by forensics personnel.

McCarty
http://pickenssentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_pcsoJohnWilliamMcCarty.jpgMcCarty

Staff Report