KINGWOOD – A jury deliberated for six hours Monday before returning a verdict of second-degree murder against against a Morgantown man who stood accused of killing a Terra Alta man outside a Preston County bar in 2019.
Aaron Glenn Hoard was found guilty in the November 2019 shooting death of Grant William Felton Jr. outside Shorthorn’s Saloon.
After hearing the verdict, Defense Attorney Belinda Haynie asked for bond until sentencing, saying she plans to appeal.
“I believe the verdict went against the evidence and ask for bond until we can appeal,” she said.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Megan Fields asked Judge Steve Shaffer to deny the motion.
“I’m opposed to it,” she said. “He has more reason to flee now that he has been convicted.”
Shaffer denied the motion and set a sentencing for 3 p.m. July 8.
Shaffer said the possible penalty for second-degree murder is not less than 10 nor more than 40 years in prison. He said there was a possibility of parole after 10 years.
Fields was hoping for the greater charge of first-degree murder.
“I ask you to find him guilty of first-degree murder,” Fields said during closing arguments Monday. “You can’t come into the county and shoot an unarmed man four times and flee for 36 hours. I want you to show people you can’t do that,” she said to the jury.
Fields showed pictures of the wounds Felton received, saying the injuries showed malice.
“The bullets were not randomly fired,” she said. “If it was out of control, nine different people would have been shot. Two went to the head; that’s specific.
Haynie said evidence showed Hoard had the right to grab his firearm in self-defense.
“He (Hoard) fired four warning shots. If he had any intention of killing anyone he wouldn’t fire warning shots,” she said.
She said when the other men jumped into the truck and wrestled for the gun, it become an accidental shooting.
“Mike Felton testified Aaron had no control of the firearm after he (Felton) grabbed the gun,” Haynie said.
She said when Felton was shot, he was in the truck on top of Hoard.
“The last shot we believe was when DJ Wilt wrestled the gun from Aaron. That’s why Felton’s blood was found in the truck,” Haynie said.
Hoard was returned to Tygart Valley Regional Jail.
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