GUILTY WV - Willie, 53, & Travis Bartley, 24, & Jack Douglas, slain, Morgan Co., 13 Jun 2016

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2016/06/what_we_know_about_the_sovereign_former_nj_man_who.html

Erick Shute was trying to free himself from government and live a more secluded life when he moved from New Jersey to Great Cacapon, West Virginia two years ago. His new home on the side of a mountain had only dirt roads to reach it and few neighbors to deal with.

Problems with one of those few neighbors, however, ended up leading to the death of three people and Shute running from police, according to authorities.

Shute, a Pennsville native, is accused of ambushing Jack Douglas, Travis Bartley and Willie Bartley, along with an unidentified fourth man Monday afternoon. He allegedly hid behind a tree and shot the three with a rifle after an argument over firewood near his property on Gamble Lane, police said. The fourth man was able to escape and call 911, prompting an eight-hour, four-state manhunt that ended in Pennsylvania.

Click to expand...

http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/659555.html

Erick Shute, the suspect in triple homicide Monday in Morgan County, formerly lived in New Jersey with his mother and had caused concern in the community there in recent years.

Pennsville Police Chief Allen Cummings said Shute was involved in the anti-government sovereign-citizen movement. Sovereign citizens are people who reject their U.S. citizenship and don't recognize laws, taxes and other types of government authority.

Click to expand...

Man charged in three Morgan County killings held without bond

A man charged with three counts of murder in connection with the June 13 shooting of three men in Morgan County was being held without bond in Eastern Regional Jail Tuesday.

Erick David Shute, 32, of Great Cacapon, W.Va., was arraigned about 4:45 p.m. Monday on three counts of murder, according to court documents.
Shute's arraignment came after he was returned to West Virginia Monday from Chester County, Pa., where he was arrested in connection with the deaths of Jack Douglas of Great Cacapon and Hedgesville, W.Va., residents Travis Bartley and Willie Bartley.

Click to expand...

...

He also was charged in 2011 with aggravated assault of a police officer, resisting arrest and obstruction of justice.

During the eight-hour manhunt before Shute was captured, Pennsville police moved two judges, including the judge who oversaw the police-assault case, into hotels because Shute had previously threatened them, Pennsville Police Chief Allen Cummings told the AP.

Cummings said some officers had their wives stay with relatives during the manhunt because Shute knew where many of them lived in the small town.

Click to expand...

Preliminary hearing set in Morgan County triple homicide case

A preliminary hearing for a man charged with three counts of murder in connection with last week's shooting of three men in Morgan County has been set for July 25, according to court records.

Click to expand...

Pyrexia Vocalist Eric Shute Arrested for Allegedly Murdering Three People in West Virginia

The vocalist for long-running NYC death metal band Pyrexia, Erick Shute, was arrested early this morning for the alleged murder of three people in Morgan County, West Virginia.
...
As of press time, Shute is still listed as a current member on Pyrexia's Encyclopedia Metallum page, though Decibel is referring to him as the "ex-vocalist;" whether or not he was in the band prior to his capture, one assumes that he'll be out of commission and out of the public eye for the foreseeable future.

Click to expand...

According to the band's Facebook page he hasn't been a member for quite some time.
https://www.facebook.com/PYREXIADEATHMETAL/

This guy doesn't look dangerous IMO. Looks really can be deceiving. Thank heavens he's behind bars and the people can go home without fear.

From SPLC

Sovereign Citizens Movement
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/ideology/sovereign-citizens-movement

The strange subculture of the sovereign citizens movement, whose adherents hold truly bizarre, complex antigovernment beliefs, has been growing at a fast pace since the late 2000s. Sovereigns believe that they get to decide which laws to obey and which to ignore, and they don't think they should have to pay taxes.

Click to expand...

The contemporary sovereign belief system is based on a decades-old conspiracy theory. At some point in history, sovereigns believe, the American government set up by the founding fathers — with a legal system the sovereigns refer to as "common law" — was secretly replaced by a new government system based on admiralty law, the law of the sea and international commerce. Under common law, or so they believe, the sovereigns would be free men. Under admiralty law, they are slaves, and secret government forces have a vested interest in keeping them that way. Some sovereigns believe this perfidious change occurred during the Civil War, while others blame the events of 1933, when the U.S. abandoned the gold standard. Either way, they stake their lives and livelihoods on the idea that judges around the country know all about this hidden government takeover but are denying the sovereigns' motions and filings out of treasonous loyalty to hidden and malevolent government forces.

Click to expand...

The yellow-fringed American flag conspiracy theory. Like Malheur.

An antigovernment "sovereign citizen" in connection with a triple murder in West Virginia.

An AR-15 assault rifle was used to commit the killings, authorities said.

After the shootings, Shute claimed on Facebook that the men stole from him and threatened him, and that he acted in self-defense, according to media reports.

Shute has been involved in antigovernment activities since at least 2009 when he was at the center of a controversy for hanging an American flag upside down outside his New Jersey home, drawing the wrath of local veterans. He told reporters then that the flag was a symbol that the United States was under distress under the “corrupt policies” of President Obama.

In 2011, Shute was he was indicted by a New Jersey grand jury on charges of attacking a police officer and resisting arrest.

Click to expand...

https://www.splcenter.org//2016/06/14/sovereign-citizen-arrested-suspect-triple-murder-wva

Ex-N.J. man who allegedly killed 3 men in self-defense tells his story from jail

Days before Shute allegedly shot and killed three men in what be claims was self-defense, he believes his brake lines were cut by them and they had stolen nearly $20,000 in property from his land.

When he attempted to confront the men for the alleged thefts, the situation escalated.

Click to expand...

But for at least six months, Shute said he believed the men were stealing from his property allegedly to pay for their drug addiction — syphoning gas from their cars and taking a $7,000 chainsaw.

Click to expand...

After the brake line incident he saw them sitting in a truck they didn't own. (How did he know who owned it or how did he knew it wasn't theirs?) He told them to leave although they weren't on his property and they refused to leave and started acting hostile. So...

Armed with a .223 rifle, Shute said he fired two warning shots.

"You can fire your gun all you want — I'm not afraid of you or your (explicit) gun," Shute claimed one of them said to him.

Then, one of the men want back to the truck and reached for what Shute believes was a revolver, while another man was holding a chainsaw.

"I could not win a fight. When I saw him reaching into the truck, that's when I fired and shot 'em," Shute said.

Click to expand...

But investigators say that's not what happened - the men were clearing wood while Shute hid behind a tree with a rifle. He shot three men - a fourth escaped - and then fled the state.

Shute's lawyer says:

"Erick presented a righteous defense in his statement to police," Arnold said. "I will fully investigate that defense and any other defenses that may be available to him."

Click to expand...

Burning question: Is he going to throw a fit if the flag in the courtroom has a gold fringe?

July:

Grand jury to take up Morgan County triple murder

The case against a Morgan County man accused of shooting three unarmed men will head to a grand jury for consideration after a magistrate found probable cause to proceed on Monday.

Click to expand...

Morgan County Prosecutor Debra McLaughlin said it is unlikely that the case will be brought before the grand jury at its September session. It may not be until January.

Click to expand...

From January:
Great Cacapon man charged with murder in 'ambush' triple slaying

A Morgan County, W.Va., grand jury on Tuesday charged a West Virginia man with three counts of murder in connection with the fatal shootings of three other men in what police described as an “ambush-style” attack last June.

Erick David Shute, 32, of Great Cacapon will be arraigned Jan. 17

Click to expand...

From April:
Shute trial still on for late June

A triple murder trial remains scheduled for late June in Morgan County following a status hearing Tuesday in Berkeley Springs.

Click to expand...

Trial was scheduled to start June 21st. Still searching for more updates.

Murder trial postponed for Berkeley Springs man accused in triple slaying

During a pre-trial hearing on Oct. 3, attorneys for Erick Shute, 32, and Morgan County Prosecutors agreed to continue Shute’s trial until next year.

Click to expand...

First set for June, then October, now scheduled for April 9, 2018.

Trial for man who shot and killed three men in 2016

Prosecutors say Shute killed the three men maliciously, while the defense argues that it was all out of self-defense.

Shute testifies as murder trial enters third day

July 18, 2018

"Erick Shute took the stand in his own defense on Wednesday, July 18, during the third day of his trial for murder in Morgan County Circuit Court.

Shute was the first of three defense witnesses that testified on Wednesday. Shute was on the stand for 45 minutes. Linda Shute, the mother of the accused, and a high school friend of Shute also testified briefly. The entire defense case last just under an hour.

Speaking in halting and sometimes fast-paced phrases, Erick Shute answered questions from defense attorney Andrew Arnold about the events of June 13, 2016....

Attorneys for both the defense and prosecution are expected to make closing arguments in the case on Wednesday afternoon. The jury will begin deliberations after closing arguments.

Shute faces three counts of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony."

Shute testifies as murder trial enters third day
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Victims in 2016 triple shooting were unarmed, asked to watch over property next to Shute

July 18, 2018

Victims in 2016 triple shooting were unarmed, asked to watch over property next to Shute
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jury finds Shute guilty of first-degree murder, other felonies, grants no mercy

July 18, 2018

"After deliberating for fewer than two hours on Wednesday, July 18, a Morgan County jury returned a verdict of guilty on all charges in the triple murder case against Erick Shute. The verdict included three counts of first-degree murder. Each count corresponds to a victim in the June 13, 2016 triple homicide in the Valley High Timber Farms subdivision west of Great Cacapon — Jack Douglas, Travis Bartley and William Bartley Jr.

Jurors returned a verdict of guilt on each with no mercy. That means Shute, 35, will not be eligible for parole and must serve the mandatory life sentence for each. The jury of nine men and three women also found Shute guilty of attempted first-degree murder, for trying to shoot and kill a fourth man — Terry Lee Marks — during the same incident. Shute was also found guilty of wanton endangerment and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He shot the men with a 5.56 mm military-style rifle from his mother’s property following a verbal confrontation in which Shute questioned why the men were on a neighboring property....

Judge Redding set a hearing for post-trial motions and potential sentencing in the case for September 12."

Jury finds Shute guilty of first-degree murder, other felonies, grants no mercy
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morgan County man sentenced for a 2016 triple-murder case (with clip)

Sep 12, 2018

"MORGAN COUNTY, W.Va. - A Morgan County man was sentenced for a triple-murder case that occurred two years ago.

Wednesday, Erick Shute was sentenced to the following:

Three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole for the deaths of Travis Bartley, William Bartley and Jack Douglas.

For the attempted first degree murder of Terry Marks, 3-15 years in prison.

For wanton endangerment with a firearm, 5 years in prison.

For use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, ten years in prison.

These sentences will all be served consecutively.

Judge Steven Redding addressed Shute before the sentencing. He said, "I want to send a message to any future vigilante, any future member of our community who considers for even a moment taking the law into their own hands. I want them to understand that they will suffer profound and painful consequences for such a decision. I want future Erik Shutes to think of everything you have lost as a result of your criminal decisions. I want to do everything in my power to ensure this never happens again in Morgan County." ..."

Morgan County man sentenced for a 2016 triple-murder case



(from left- Travis Bartley , Jack Douglas, Willie Bartley)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------