Inset: Sean Odonnell (Harris County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The block in Spring, Texas, where Odonnell allegedly shot and killed his friend (Google Maps).
A 37-year-old man in Texas has been arrested for killing his 34-year-old friend while the two men were allegedly taking turns donning a Kevlar helmet and shooting each other in the head with a rifle. Sean Odonnell was taken into custody on Thursday and charged with one count of murder in the slaying of Aaron Prout earlier this month, authorities announced.
According to a news release from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, deputies from Precinct 4 on Sunday, Aug. 17, responded to a call at a home located in the 23000 block of Pennington Hills Drive in Spring, Texas, about 225 miles southeast of Dallas.
At the scene, first responders said they located a man later identified as Prout, who had suffered a gunshot wound to the head. Emergency medical personnel arrived at the scene and transported the victim to a hospital for treatment. Prout succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
According to the sheriff’s office, Prout was a citizen of the United Kingdom who had been residing in Harris County. The owner of the home was identified as Odonnell.
Sheriff’s detectives said that Prout’s fatal gunshot wound was originally thought to be self-inflicted. Authorities did not reveal what, if anything, Odonnell told investigators regarding Prout’s death, but apparently contradictory evidence was uncovered that led police in a different direction.
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“Incident initially came in as a possible suicide, but things weren’t adding up,” the release states. “With thorough follow-up investigation, the truth was ultimately revealed.”
The sheriff’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) assisted in Odonnell’s arrest, police said.
“Hard to believe two, so-called friends, would take turns shooting at each other wearing a kevlar helmet, inside a house in a residential neighborhood, while using a rifle,” Harris County Sheriff Ed Harris said in a statement following the arrest.
It was not immediately clear if Odonnell had retained an attorney to represent him in the matter. However, records show that Odonnell was arrested on Aug. 21 and charged with driving under the influence. Law&Crime reached out to attorney Adam Wayne Capetillo, who is listed in court documents as representing Odonnell in that case, but did not immediately receive a response.
Jail records do not show Odonnell in custody and it was not immediately clear when he was scheduled to appear in court.
