In a courtroom scene today, 17-year-old Rhyder Tettleton was charged with the second degree manslaughter of his 16-year-old brother, in what deputies described as an accidental shooting amidst a careless handling of a firearm. Held in PC court, Tettleton’s bond was set at $50,000, according to documents obtained by Click2Houston.
During the fatal encounter between the brothers, it was alleged alongside a group of teens aged 16 to 19, alcohol found its way into their bloodstreams. As the night unfolded, they began fooling around with a gun. Originally, having been instructed by Tettleton to bear the blame, others to point their fingers at a different friend or to claim responsibility for the fatal gunshot, that ultimately claimed his younger brother’s life, as heard amidst the gravity of the scene. Tettleton, however, admitted to discharging the weapon, which he wrongly assumed was not loaded, delivering a single fatal shot to the left abdomen area of his brother who was reportedly standing within six inches.
According to Click2Houston, in the harrowing moments following the gun discharge, the victim expressed his fear with the haunting words, “I think I’m gonna die. Help me! Help me!” Despite attempts at first aid by the teens present, the younger brother was pronounced dead at the scene. Tettleton later instructed his friends to conceal the gun and shell casings, complicating the initial investigation…