The Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office has charged Jarrell Lariscy Jr., 15, as an adult with murder and other alleged felonies for the shooting death of his brother, Johnny Lariscy, 17, and wounding of their father, Jarrell Lariscy Sr., Saturday morning outside their home in the Nevils area.
Sheriff’s Office deputies and investigators, along with the Bulloch County Emergency Medical Service and Fire Department, responded to a call at a Georgia Highway 46 address that is between the highway and Waters Cemetery Road around 10:50 a.m. Saturday. Capt. Todd Hutchens, who heads the BCSO Criminal Investigation Division, provided basic information to reporters during a Monday morning press conference.
“We responded to the call of a shooting where there was a 17-year-old victim who sustained gunshot wounds. Also, the 17-year-old victim’s father sustained gunshot wounds. Upon arrival, medical attention was given to both,” Hutchens said. “Both were taken to the local hospital, where the 17-year-old victim succumbed to his injuries.”
Transported by ambulance to East Georgia Regional Medical Center, Johnny Lariscy was pronounced dead after attempted life-saving efforts there and at the shooting scene. Jarrell Lariscy Sr., 35, was transferred to “a Savannah area hospital,” reportedly Memorial Health University Medical Center, where he was still being treated for his injuries Monday morning, but Hutchens said he believed the older Lariscy would be released from the hospital later Monday or possibly Tuesday.
Both victims were hit by pellets from a shotgun, according to the Sheriff’s Office,
“Basically, the 15-year-old shot his brother and shot his father, just in this unfortunate circumstance,” Hutchens said.
Jarrell Lariscy Jr. was arrested at the scene. Although charged as an adult, the 15-year-old isn’t being held at the Bulloch County Jail but at a Youth Detention Center and would be brought back from there to court proceedings when scheduled.
The charges filed against him are one count each of felony murder and malice murder, two counts of aggravated assault and four counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Both murder charges relate to the death of Johnny Lariscy. Malice murder means killing someone with “malice aforethought” as defined in Georgia law. Felony murder means causing the death of someone during the commission of another serious felony. In this case, that other felony would be the alleged aggravated assault of the late Johnny Lariscy. But investigators filed the other aggravated assault charge in connection with the shooting of Jarrell Lariscy Sr., and the four firearm possession counts relate back to the other four charges, involving the same gun.
These are only warrant charges, not yet subject to indictment or other proceedings.
Compassion for family
“Now, we want to be very compassionate to this family. We want to extend our condolences to this family,” Hutchens told reporters. “It’s an unfortunate situation and circumstance, and we just want to extend out our prayers to them, as they have to deal with this situation, not only just to themselves, but also here during the holiday season.”
When a TV reporter asked if there had been an argument or other known reason for the shooting, the sheriff’s captain indicated that the 15-year-old wasn’t talking to investigators, but that there are other witnesses.
“When we attempt to interview people, naturally they have the right to whether or not they talk … especially when we have defendants, and this particular defendant, the shooter, did not want to discuss the situation,” Hutchens said.
“So we basically have a preliminary investigation from the witnesses, and the father was able to tell us a little bit,” he said. “But without the actual shooter giving us the actual reason why he shot his father and his brother, I don’t have anything to speak about that.”
The shooting occurred outside the family’s residence, “in the yard area,” and 911 calls were made by “family members who live in close proximity to this address,” Hutchens said in response to the Statesboro Herald’s questions. It was “not hunting-related and not accidental,” he said.
Whether the victims were shot once each was “undetermined right now,” with the deceased young man’s body being sent to a GBI crime lab for autopsy. “But both of them did sustain gunshot from a shotgun,” Hutchens said.
Murder and aggravated assault are among “seven deadly charges” with which juveniles can be charged as adults under Georgia law, he explained.
Hutchens said the Sheriff’s Office had responded to calls “in that area” before, but he did not know yet whether these were to the same home or the content of the calls.
He asks that anyone with knowledge related specifically to this incident or which may help in the continuing investigation call the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office or its Criminal Investigations Division at (912) 764-8888. Investigator Jonathan Fadden is lead investigator on the case.