Tucker Richard

MAYVILLE — An 18-year-old Jamestown man has been indicted on a second-degree murder charge for the Jan. 6 shooting death of his step-father at their home.

Tucker Richard pleaded not guilty during arraignment Tuesday morning in Chautauqua County Court. Judge David Foley set bail at $2.5 million cash, $5 million property bond, the Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office announced in a statement.

Richard had been taken into custody moments after officers arrived at the 2256 Willard St. Ext. home in the town of Ellicott where he and his step-father, 57-year-old Scott Blake, resided. Officers with Ellicott and Jamestown had been alerted to a gunshot victim at the home around 10 p.m.

During a preliminary hearing days later in Ellicott Town Court, Lt. Sam Piazza of the Jamestown Police Department testified that he found Richard on the front porch with a phone in his hand and, upon looking inside, discovered Blake on the floor with a gunshot wound to the head.

No one else was home at the time of the shooting; the residence is located within the town of Ellicott, though due to its location and the nature of the call, officers from both Ellicott and Jamestown responded.

Piazza detained Richard and later cleared the residence with other officers. He also confirmed it was Richard who called 911 after the shooting and that Richard was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher when he arrived at the scene.

Det. Kevin Pierce of the Ellicott Police Department testified at the preliminary hearing that Richard told him the shooting was the result of an altercation between himself and his step-father. The 18-year-old, during an interview at the Ellicott Police Department, told the detective that Blake had kicked-in the door to his bedroom.

The altercation continued downstairs, where Richard said he was struck with a shotgun that then fell apart. He then grabbed another gun his step-father had retrieved before shooting him.

Pierce said his interview with Richard lasted about an hour.

Richard is being represented by the Chautauqua County Public Defender’s Office. A discovery conference has been scheduled for March 31 in County Court.