(Stillwater, Okla.) – A Stillwater teenager accused of fatally shooting a man in the head with the victim’s recently purchased .22 magnum revolver, at a Stillwater party shortly after midnight on Dec. 21, has been ordered to appear in court this afternoon for arraignment on a first-degree manslaughter charge filed by District Attorney Laura Austin Thomas.
Tristen Leanne Taylor, 18, who remains free on $75,000 bail, could be sentenced to four years to life in prison if convicted, according to court documents filed Tuesday.
The victim, Alex Vierling, 21, of Stillwater, suffered a gunshot wound to the forehead and was pronounced dead at the OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City on Dec. 21, Stillwater Police Detective Inspector Greg Miller wrote in an affidavit filed Tuesday.
The day of the party, the victim showed his recently purchased 22 magnum revolver, five shot, to a male friend, the affidavit said.
“Alex had one bullet for the pistol. The two went to Oklahoma City to a sporting goods store to locate .22 magnum ammunition,” which the victim was unable to locate, the affidavit said.
The two men were together for the remainder of the day, the affidavit said.
That night, the same friend hosted a house party at his apartment in the 500 block of S. West Street, where the defendant arrived about 9:30 p.m., the affidavit alleged.
“During the party, Alex Vierling showed several people at the party his revolver.
“Alex removed the cylinder and displayed the single bullet,” the affidavit alleged.
“Tristen Taylor was sitting on the couch to the right of Alex Vierling,” the affidavit alleged. “Tristen saw the pistol now lying on Alex’s left thigh.
“Tristen had the gun in her hand.
“Tristen and Alex talked about the gun.
“Alex said to Tristen ‘you won’t shoot me with it,’” the affidavit alleged.
“Tristen pointed the gun at Alex and the gun fired,” striking the victim in the forehead, the affidavit alleged.
A woman “saw Tristen holding the revolver to Alex’s head after the shot was fired,” the affidavit alleged.
“Tristen called 911 on her cellphone at 12:07 a.m. on Dec. 21, 2014,” the affidavit alleged.
When Sgt. Heath Hall entered the apartment, “Tristen Taylor raised her hands and shouted ‘I shot him. It was an accident. I thought it was a toy and he said ‘shoot me,’” the affidavit alleged.
At the Stillwater Police Department, at 1 a.m. the detective inspector “could see Tristen had a significant amount of what appeared to be visible gunshot residue on her right hand index finger, middle finger and ring finger,” the affidavit alleged.
“I could also see dried blood on her hands,” the detective inspector wrote in his affidavit.
During an interview with Detective Sgt. Jeff Watts, the defendant said “she had drunk some alcoholic beverages at the party,” the affidavit alleged.
“Tristen is under 21 years of age. Tristen said she had taken brass knuckles from Alex at a previous party,” the affidavit alleged.
“Tristen said she asked Alex why he had a gun and that she was going to take it from him,” the affidavit alleged.
“Tristen said Alex told her she had better not take the gun and asked her how drunk she was,” the affidavit alleged.
“Tristen believed Alex handed her the gun,” the affidavit alleged.
“Tristen recalled Alex saying to her ‘you won’t shoot me in the head with it,’” the affidavit alleged.
“Tristen responded with ‘it’s not real, why does it even matter,’” the affidavit alleged.
“Tristen stated the gun was in her hand,” the affidavit alleged.
“Tristen would not clearly recall pointing the pistol or pulling the trigger,” the affidavit alleged.
“Tristen said she heard a loud pop and Alex leaned over. Tristen saw blood coming from Alex’s nose,” the affidavit alleged.
According to the felony manslaughter charge filed by the district attorney, there are 27 witnesses for the prosecution including 16 Stillwater police officers.
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