Teen shooter charged with attempted murder after police say he shot up home

FORT WAYNE, Ind. ---A seasoned shooter would know Allen County has three rivers and at the muddy bottom unquestionably lie many weapons, dating back who knows how many years.

But 17- year-olds don’t think like that.

So when Detective Corporal Keith Wallin of the Allen County Sheriff’s Department got to the home of two witnesses to a March 31 shooting, he was directed to the laundry room where the gun was found in a garbage can, according to a probable cause affidavit by Allen County Police Department officer Randy Morrison.

Rhyder B. Willman, 17, was charged with attempted murder and criminal recklessness. Attempted murder automatically comes with $50,000 bail and is a Felony 1. ‘Crim rec’, as it’s known, is a Felony 5 and Willman’s bail on that charge is $10,000, court records indicate.

The crime scene began close by the basketball court at Haverhill Elementary School on the county’s southwest side, court documents said.

A friend, identified as Witness 1, sent a text message to his buddy, the victim, saying he’d been jumped there by Rhyder B. Willman, 17, and two other guys. That was at 7:25 p.m.

The targeted friend was supposed to spend the night at the victim’s home, but after getting jumped, decided to go home instead.

Willman apparently didn’t know that and showed up at the victim’s home, still in pursuit of the friend. At 9:07 p.m., the doorbell rang and the victim opened the door. He said Willman stepped out of his car, yelled “hey!” and fired four shots at him, court docs said.

One of the rounds went through the victim’s baggy T-shirt. All the shots went through the front door. Two were found lodged in a living room chair and another two in the wall. The fourth shot blew through the door, the wall and a backyard fence.

The victim’s parents were in the house as well as two other people.

The victim could tell the shooter was Willman because his mask only partially covered his face and he recognized his voice. He told detectives Willman was dressed all in black, court documents said.

Willmann was found quickly, still dressed in black. The two who were with him said they witnessed the shooting, but they weren’t the guys who shot the gun.

Although Willman is a juvenile in the law’s eyes, he is appearing in adult court. After a warrant was issued April 2, he is scheduled to appear Friday in front of an Allen County judge.