By TRACY MCCUE
CALDWELL – A local couple is facing felony murder charges in connection with a shooting this summer that led to the death of a 12-year-old girl.
Jarod Bruey, 42, of Caldwell and his wife, Sarah Bruey, 41, also of Caldwell have both been charged with murder in the first degree. They have also been charged with aggravated endangering of a child, a felony.
Jarod Bruey
Sarah Bruey
Sumner County Attorney Larry Marczynski has formally charged the couple in connection to a shooting that occurred on August 6, 2021, in which a 12-year-old juvenile accidentally shot her 12-year-old stepsister in the face, west of Caldwell.
According to the complaints, the defendants are accused of allowing multiple unsecured loaded firearms strewn throughout their home. During the investigation of the homicide, law enforcement officers found approximately 17 firearms that were loaded and, or unsecured, kept randomly through the home. None of the guns were locked up.
Additionally, the defendant left his 12-year-old daughter and 12-year old stepdaughter unsupervised with the firearms. As a result, one of the minors used one of the loaded unsecured firearms to shoot and kill her stepsister. The shooting was said to be accidental
The two suspects are currently in Sumner County jail on a $50,000 cash surety bond issued by District Judge Francis Meisenheimer.
Felony first-degree murder, which differs from premeditated first-degree murder, allows for charges against defendants who were in commission of a dangerous felony that results in homicide.
Even if the defendants are not themselves the shooters.
In this case, prosecutors contend that leaving multiple loaded weapons around the home unsecured constituted aggravated child endangerment, the underlying dangerous felony needed to bring felony murder charges.
According to an August Sumner County Sheriff press release, on Aug. 6 at 11:06 a.m., deputies were dispatched to 1531 S. Blackstone Road in Caldwell where the victim was not responsive and CPR was started. After administering life-saving measures for over 40 minutes, the victim was declared deceased.
