Men face charges in Evansville shooting

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buy this photo Shane Charl Leonard, 21, reacts after hearing the amount of his bail during his initial appearance on Monday afternoon for attempted murder in the shooting of Deon Hines and Derric Wenters. Photo by Dan Cepeda, Star-Tribune

Casper police arrested three men in connection with a double shooting in Evansville on Saturday morning. Shane Charl Leonard, 21, Shy Abeyta, 19, and O'Shea Abeyta, 21, were arrested following a car-and- foot chase through Evansville and into Casper.

Leonard is charged with attempted murder in the shooting of Deon Hines and Derric Winters, which, if he is convicted, could result in sentence of up to life in prison. O'Shea is charged with aiding and abetting a burglary and aggravated assault. Shy Abeyta is charged with interfering with a police officer.

The first shooting victim, Hines, was treated at the Wyoming Medical Center and released, according to the affidavit. Winter is still being treated for a gunshot wound to the stomach.

During his initial appearance on Monday, Leonard asked the judge to lower his bond to allow him to spend time with his family. He has three children.

Both Leonard and O'Shea are being held on $101,000 bond. Shy Abeyta is being held on $2,000.

Evansville police were called to a trailer in the Aspen Trailer Court on Saturday morning and found two men bleeding. Both had been shot, the affidavit stated.

There were two witnesses at the scene, who told police that a man shot the trailer multiple times.

Leonard, and the Abeyta brothers drove to the Aspen Trailer Court in Evansville in Leonard's green Chevrolet Camero, the witnesses told Evansville police, and the men stopped behind their parked car.

Leonard then got out of the passenger seat and walked over to the witnesses' car to ask them if they knew if anyone had been "jumped" that evening, according to the affidavit. When the woman in the car asked if there was a problem, she told police Leonard shoved a gun at her and the man in the car.

Leonard asked the man and woman if they had cell phones, while pushing the gun farther in the man's face. The female witness told police they gave Leonard their phones, and as he walked back toward his car he shot at the trailer, the affidavit stated.

The men drove off after Leonard shot the trailer, but returned shortly after and shot the trailer a second time, the witness told police.

According to the affidavit, Leonard told police in an interview that he had been drinking and told O'Shea Abeyta to drive his car to a trailer in Evansville. After taking the cell phones, Leonard told police he began firing his gun, not to hurt anyone but to "scare" them.

Leonard and the brothers then drove through Evansville and into Casper, leading Casper police officers on a car chase, according to the affidavit.

Ultimately, the three men stopped at a dead end parking lot in the 300 block of North Beech Street and tried running, the affidavit stated. Police caught Shy Abeyta and later found O'Shea Abeyta hiding in a Dumpster. Police found Leonard outside of his home on Saint John Street.

Both witnesses later picked Leonard out of a line-up as the man who stole their cell phones and shot the trailer.

Contact city reporter Christine Robinson at (307) 266-0639 or christine.robinson@trib.com

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