A Wellston man has been charged with first degree murder in the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old Lincoln County resident the day after July 4.
The charges were formally filed in Lincoln County District Court on Tuesday of this week against Freddie Antonie Seamster, 38.
Seamster is accused with malice aforethought of causing the death of Lucas Goss, by shooting Goss with a fireman in Lincoln County on July 5.
Associate District Judge Sheila Kirk on July 6 ordered that Seamster be held without bond and set his initial appearance for Monday, July 12. On July 12, she scheduled a prepreliminary hearing for 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 12.
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Capt. Chuck Brewer, who headed up the investigation, said last week an argument over property reportedly led to the shooting death of Goss.
In a probable cause affidavit, Brewer stated he responded to a shooting call at 331837 E. Shadow Wood Drive in Lincoln County on July 5 about 12:30 p.m.
He said he met with Lincoln Deputies Cody Coleman and James Robinson on his arrival who were the initial responders. He was told Goss had been shot twice by Seamster with a .40 caliber pistol.
Goss had been transported to the hospital by ambulance, Brewer said, and was told that Seamster had called 911 himself to report the shooting and surrendered himself and the firearm to law enforcement on their arrival at Seamster’s residence.
Brewer said he was advised that Goss had been pronounced deceased by medical personnel at 1:26 p.m. that day.
The sheriff’s captain said last week that Goss suffered two shots from a .40 caliber pistol. One went into and through the stomach and the other shot struck and went through his arm into his stomach.
Shortly after arriving and talking with the two deputies, Brewer reported he interviewed Seamster in the front seat of his patrol unit and advised him of his rights under the Miranda Warning. Seamster stated he understood his rights and agreed to talk with Brewer.
Seamster told Brewer he and Goss had an altercation the previous Friday (July 2) about a fence Seamster was building on land he had purchased from Goss’ mother.
According to the affidavit, Seamster said he was mowing his grass in the backyard of his residence and Goss, who lived on the adjoining property on the north side, began yelling and shouting at him a racial slur and then began throwing rocks at him from Goss’ property.
Seamster advised Brewer he went back into his residence and retrieved his SW .40 caliber pistol and continued mowing, carrying the pistol in his lap. He said as he neared the rear of his property, Goss approached the unfenced property line and was wielding a large stick in a threatening manner to him.
Seamster told Brewer he fired his pistol one or two times, striking Goss who then fled.
He told the sheriff’s captain he then parked his mower, returned to his residence and called 911 to report the shooting.
When asked by Brewer would he show him the location on his property where Goss had approached him with the large stick and he had shot him, Seamster agreed to do that.
He walked Brewer to the location where he had shot Goss.
Brewer requested that Wellston Police Officer Todd Beesley record Seamster’s statements on his body worn video camera.
Seamster, at Brewer’s request, led the officer to the specific location from where Seamster had fired his weapon at Goss. Brewer reported he measured the distance and it was 25 feet from where Seamster was on his mower and Goss was standing with a stick in his hand.
Brewer states in the affidavit he and other deputies found no ammunition casings on the ground or in the nearby area where Seamster said he was when he fired his weapon. Brewer further noted “nor did we observe any large sticks or objects in the area where he said Goss was standing. There were several smaller sticks in the area,” he added.
The sheriff’s captain asked Seamster to point out the stick Goss had been wielding in a threatening manner when he shot him. He did not know which stick it was, Brewer said, “and none of the sticks observed would be considered a dangerous, deadly weapon. No rocks of any significant size were observed on Seamster’s property,” Brewer reported.
Brewer said a search warrant for Seamster’s residence and property were obtained and no shell casings from his weapon or any other evidence to substantiate his claim of self defense were discovered, Brewer reported.