Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
LOUISVILLE, Ky. —For the first time, we are hearing from a Louisville man who was charged with murder after he shot a suspected burglar.
WLKY has obtained copies of a newly released police interview with Deontae Yarnell.
Yarnell said he was scared, but also admitted that he followed the suspected burglars off his property as he fired.
“I seen my front door kicked open, so then I drew my gun immediately, you know what I mean?” Yarnell told police.
He said he acted in self-defense, but Louisville Metro Police said it was murder.
Yarnell fatally shot Deandrae Murphy, 18, on Aug. 8.
Police said Murphy was one of two men who broke into Yarnell's house.
But prosecutors said Yarnell cannot claim self-defense in this case because the victim wasn't on his property when the shots were fired.
“The defendant came home and found these people there, and after he fired shots, he actually chased one of them for a full city block before shooting him, and that resulted in the homicide,” Assistant County Attorney Cristin Southard said.
In his police interview, Yarnell said he came home that morning and heard someone in his basement.
“I don't know if they have a gun or nothing, you know, knife or anything. By this time, I’m a little scared,” he said.
He said he went outside and saw two men climb out of his basement window and yelled for them to stop.
Detective: “Where you like this? (pointing imaginary gun.)”
Yarnell: “Yeah, as far as like, 'don't move.'”
Detective: “Ok, so you're like this, and he's coming out of the window?”
Yarnell: “Yeah, and just go (pushes detective.)”
That's when Yarnell said he fired.
Yarnell: “Yeah, but I kept shooting, I ain't gonna lie. I kept shooting. I was scared, alright, I’m not gonna lie.”
Yarnell initially said he took only a couple of steps and fired five or six shots.
Later in the interview, he said he emptied his handgun, firing 12 shots as he chased the burglary suspects.
“It just shook me up, because (I’ve) never encountered anything like, you know what I’m saying, anyone in my house," Yarnell said. "It just happened so fast."
Yarnell has filed a motion in Jefferson Circuit Court to dismiss the murder charges.
His defense attorney and prosecutor argued on that motion this week.
The judge has yet to rule on it.
Yarnell is on home incarceration after posting $5,000 bond.
His next court date has not yet been set.