close

Man held for court in Masontown homicide

By Alyssa Choiniere achoiniere@heraldstandard.Com 4 min read
article image -

A McClellandtown man was held for court on homicide charges for allegedly shooting another man in Masontown Jan. 15.

Christopher C. Shellhammer, 30, of Main Street allegedly shot 39-year-old Michael Shane Henrick after a reported altercation at 335 Peach Street.

Shellhammer’s attorney, Shane Gannon, claimed self defense in his client’s case at the preliminary hearing Wednesday.

Kelly French, Henrick’s fiancee, testified she asked Shellhammer to come over that night to sell her marijuana. She and Henrick had been fighting, and she had not seen him for two days, she said. A few minutes after Shellhammer arrived, she said Henrick arrived unexpectedly and found the two at a kitchen table smoking a blunt.

“Michael crosses his hands over his chest and says, ‘What are you doing here with my old lady?” she testified.

French said Shellhammer took out a gun and she got between her fiance and the weapon.

“I told Chris that he’d have to shoot me first,” she said.

She said the three had a “stern” conversation until she became angry and hit Shellhammer in the face. He allegedly hit her in the side, and Henrick allegedly hit Shellhammer. Shellhammer then allegedly shot Henrick, once in the chest and once in the back.

“He said ‘I’m dying Kelly’ and then fell to the ground,” she testified.

Shellhammer called 911, saying he shot someone and was driving to the Masontown police station, according to testimony.

Sgt. Scott Miller said he found a loaded 9-mm handgun and a small amount of marijuana in Shellhammer’s van.

He said Shellhammer told him he shot someone, and Miller asked if he hit the person.

“He said, ‘Yes, but I think it was a setup,'” he testified.

Kelly testified Henrick and Shellhammer first met about a week prior and exchanged words over the marijuana, saying Shellhammer did not give her as much as she paid him for. Shellhammer was hesitant to come to the house that night because of the confrontation, she said.

Gannon questioned why Henrick was wearing only shorts if he had been outside before Shellhammer arrived. French said she believed Henrick had been staying at a homeless shelter and had few belongings.

Shellhammer was taken to Uniontown Hospital with a facial injury and released later that night.

Miller stopped short of saying he recovered evidence of a fight on the scene, saying some things were knocked over inside.

“But it appeared a fight had occurred?” Gannon asked.

Miller paused. “It appeared that something happened in there,” he said.

Gannon argued bail should be set in his client’s case, saying Shellhammer was attacked by two people and acted in self defense. The request was denied.

Shellhammer’s father, William Jones, questioned officials about his son’s treatment at a Fayette County Prison board meeting Friday. He claimed letters from his son’s fiancee were never given to him, causing him severe depression and anxiety. Those letters spoke about their sons, ages 2 and 4, one who has autism and one who has Barth syndrome, a rare genetic disorder.

“He was depressed for being in there but he was deathly worried about his sons,” Jones said at the meeting. “We are shocked that he made it to 4 because most children with Barth syndrome don’t make it to 3.”

Jones further said his son spoke of abuse, mistreatment and unsanitary conditions in the prison. Board members advised Jones to write up his allegations to expedite the investigation process, adding the prison would be contacted immediately about a claim Shellhammer was denied a complaint form.

Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. Shimshock held charges of criminal homicide, aggravated assault and three counts of recklessly endangering another person for the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas. Shellhammer remains in prison without bail.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $4.79/week.

Subscribe Today