Murder Charges Filed In Shannon Shooting Death

Murder charges have been filed against two Floyd County men in relation to a fatal shooting in Shannon on Sunday.

According to Floyd County police and Floyd County Jail reports:

Jayden Patrick Fiorito, 20, and Tyler Michael Zacher, 22, both of a Tency Lane address in the Swan Lake Mobile Home Community, are charged with felony murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, theft by taking and entering an automobile with the intent to commit theft.

The pistol reportedly used in the crime was earlier stolen from a vehicle.

The men were initially charged with felony making false statements to police regarding details and the location of the shooting as well as misdemeanor obstruction.

While many of the details regarding the incident are still unclear, police said that Fiorito went to grab for the gun that 19-year-old Brandson Long had in his waistband and was shot in the hand. That same shot struck Long in the pelvis area. Long later died from his wounds, Bell said.

Fiorito and Zacher told police they’d been camping in the woods near Shannon Village with Long that evening.

“(Fiorito) said (Long) went to grab for the gun as Brandson pulled it out of his waistband and the gun fired off. (Fiorito) said the bullet went through his hand and into Brandson,” the report stated.

Fiorito told police they were initially able to walk out of the woods, but Long collapsed. They then dragged him and told police they called a woman, Abigail Thurman, to pick them up at the roadway. Thurman is not charged with a crime.

The men went to the Burlington Road fire station seeking aid at around 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

“It was later found that statements made by (Fiorito) were false in reference to the location of the incident, how they arrived at the incident location and that he stated that the gun was left where the actual shooting had taken place,” the FCPD incident report stated.

At some point, police said, Stephanie Eugenia Shuler, 48, of Pinecrest Drive, took the pistol from the scene of the shooting and threw it into the woods next to a church on the Shannon Circle connector. Police found the pistol Monday.

Shuler is charged with felony tampering with evidence and misdemeanor obstruction or hindering an investigation.