LIBERTY COUNTY – A man was arrested and charged after deputies said he fatally shot his neighbor over an ongoing dispute about a dog running loose in their neighborhood.
Eric Lee Elliott, 70, has been charged in the shooting death of 60-year-old William Duncan Womack.
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On Friday, April 15, deputies from the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a shooting on County Road 2683.
When deputies arrived, they said they found Womack suffering from a gunshot wound to the stomach while Elliot continued to do yard work, officials said. Womack was transported to the hospital by LifeFlight where he later died.
According to investigators, Elliott was working in his yard when Womack’s dog got into the yard. When Elliott saw Womack’s step-daughter, investigators said he allegedly told her that if they did not keep their dog out of his yard he was going to kill the dog.
Deputies said when the step-daughter told Womack about the threat to their family dog, Womack walked into the street to talk to Elliott but, according to a witness, Elliott kicked Womack in the leg and then pulled out a gun from his waist and shot Womack in the stomach.
Then, according to a witness, while Womack’s wife and step-daughter were screaming and trying to call for help, Elliott put the handgun in his truck and continued with his yard work as if nothing had ever happened.
When deputies arrived, Elliott was arrested and charged with murder.