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Lewisburg man may face murder charges
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LEWISBURG — A borough man already charged with criminal attempt to commit homicide and aggravated assault is expected to face murder charges now that the victim has died.
Roderick Sims, 46, of 607 Shikelimo Lane, Apt. 6A, who was taken into custody early Sunday morning after allegedly shooting his 27-year-old fiancee, Charity Spickler, in the head with a .38-caliber revolver late Saturday night, is expected to be charged by Lewisburg police with criminal homicide since Spickler died early Monday morning at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.
Spickler had four children, and Sims was the father of three of them.
Sims was arraigned Sunday morning by on-call Magisterial District Judge Jeff Mensch of Mifflinburg on charges of criminal attempt to commit homicide, aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, terroristic threats and burglary relating to the shooting at Spickler’s residence at 55 S. Water St., Apt. 6, Lewisburg. Sgt. Frederick Hetrick filed the charges.
The defendant was initially committed to Union County Prison in lieu of $500,000 cash bail, but reportedly has been transferred to Snyder County Prison, Selinsgrove, due to overcrowded conditions in the small jail in Union County.
Sims was ordered to appear for a preliminary hearing at 1:15 p.m. Thursday before Magisterial District Judge Leo Armbruster of Lewisburg on the attempted homicide offenses, but that legal proceeding will most likely be continued.
Lewisburg Police Chief Paul Yost reported Sims will be arraigned on new charges when more information becomes available, including an autopsy report.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, officers were dispatched to Spickler’s apartment at 11:53 p.m. Saturday for a report of a burglary with shots fired. Upon arriving at the scene, Officer Shawn Kuhns walked toward the apartment before hearing Sims yelling from inside the residence. Kuhns remained outside the apartment to wait for additional officers who had been summoned for assistance.
Police said an unidentified female came running from the south side of the building and was crying and making statements about someone being shot from inside the apartment.
At that point, additional police units arrived to secure the perimeter around the apartment, while the female who came running out of the building was directed to a safe area.
A short time later it was confirmed that Sims was in possession of a silver revolver that he was holding against his head while he was on the telephone. Police said Sims could be heard making several statements that he had shot his fiancee (Spickler) in the head.
Telephone contact was then made with Sims, at which time he repeated statements that he had shot his fiancee, who was still breathing inside the apartment. Sims also made several statements that he was going to kill himself for what he did and refused to exit the apartment.
Police said that, after approximately 30 minutes of speaking with Sims, the defendant came outside and was taken into custody without incident.
Upon entering the apartment, officers found Spickler lying in the front bedroom with a gunshot wound to the head. Emergency medical personnel treated the victim at the scene before she was transported to Geisinger Medical Center.
During an interview he consented to at Lewisburg Police Station shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday, Sims admitted to shooting Spickler and told police he had been drinking on and off all day. Sims told Sgt. Hetrick that he shot Spickler because he couldn’t take it anymore and that she took everything from him.
Sims told police he walked to the rear of Spickler’s apartment before kicking in the back door. At this point, Sims said he observed Spickler exit the shower and return to a front bedroom. Sims said he followed the victim to the bedroom, at which time the door was pushed shut. Sims then said he kicked the door in because it was being held shut by another male.
Once inside the bedroom, Sims said he pointed the handgun at Eric Hitchcock, who fled the apartment. Sims said he then pointed the revolver at Spickler while she was lying on the floor next to a bed and fired one round into her head.
Sims said he didn’t shoot at Hitchcock because he was only mad at Spickler.
When asked by police why he shot his fiancee, Sims said he “just lost it” and claimed to have “blacked out.” Sims also said that after he shot Spickler he telephoned his mother and sister and told them he shot his fiancee, police said.
Roderick Sims, 46, of 607 Shikelimo Lane, Apt. 6A, who was taken into custody early Sunday morning after allegedly shooting his 27-year-old fiancee, Charity Spickler, in the head with a .38-caliber revolver late Saturday night, is expected to be charged by Lewisburg police with criminal homicide since Spickler died early Monday morning at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.
Spickler had four children, and Sims was the father of three of them.
Sims was arraigned Sunday morning by on-call Magisterial District Judge Jeff Mensch of Mifflinburg on charges of criminal attempt to commit homicide, aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, terroristic threats and burglary relating to the shooting at Spickler’s residence at 55 S. Water St., Apt. 6, Lewisburg. Sgt. Frederick Hetrick filed the charges.
The defendant was initially committed to Union County Prison in lieu of $500,000 cash bail, but reportedly has been transferred to Snyder County Prison, Selinsgrove, due to overcrowded conditions in the small jail in Union County.
Sims was ordered to appear for a preliminary hearing at 1:15 p.m. Thursday before Magisterial District Judge Leo Armbruster of Lewisburg on the attempted homicide offenses, but that legal proceeding will most likely be continued.
Lewisburg Police Chief Paul Yost reported Sims will be arraigned on new charges when more information becomes available, including an autopsy report.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, officers were dispatched to Spickler’s apartment at 11:53 p.m. Saturday for a report of a burglary with shots fired. Upon arriving at the scene, Officer Shawn Kuhns walked toward the apartment before hearing Sims yelling from inside the residence. Kuhns remained outside the apartment to wait for additional officers who had been summoned for assistance.
Police said an unidentified female came running from the south side of the building and was crying and making statements about someone being shot from inside the apartment.
At that point, additional police units arrived to secure the perimeter around the apartment, while the female who came running out of the building was directed to a safe area.
A short time later it was confirmed that Sims was in possession of a silver revolver that he was holding against his head while he was on the telephone. Police said Sims could be heard making several statements that he had shot his fiancee (Spickler) in the head.
Telephone contact was then made with Sims, at which time he repeated statements that he had shot his fiancee, who was still breathing inside the apartment. Sims also made several statements that he was going to kill himself for what he did and refused to exit the apartment.
Police said that, after approximately 30 minutes of speaking with Sims, the defendant came outside and was taken into custody without incident.
Upon entering the apartment, officers found Spickler lying in the front bedroom with a gunshot wound to the head. Emergency medical personnel treated the victim at the scene before she was transported to Geisinger Medical Center.
During an interview he consented to at Lewisburg Police Station shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday, Sims admitted to shooting Spickler and told police he had been drinking on and off all day. Sims told Sgt. Hetrick that he shot Spickler because he couldn’t take it anymore and that she took everything from him.
Sims told police he walked to the rear of Spickler’s apartment before kicking in the back door. At this point, Sims said he observed Spickler exit the shower and return to a front bedroom. Sims said he followed the victim to the bedroom, at which time the door was pushed shut. Sims then said he kicked the door in because it was being held shut by another male.
Once inside the bedroom, Sims said he pointed the handgun at Eric Hitchcock, who fled the apartment. Sims said he then pointed the revolver at Spickler while she was lying on the floor next to a bed and fired one round into her head.
Sims said he didn’t shoot at Hitchcock because he was only mad at Spickler.
When asked by police why he shot his fiancee, Sims said he “just lost it” and claimed to have “blacked out.” Sims also said that after he shot Spickler he telephoned his mother and sister and told them he shot his fiancee, police said.
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