Trial dates are expected to be set for Arnett Baines and Cyler Shemwell, the two men accused of killing three people and severely injuring a fourth in a 2019 shooting on Audubon Avenue. The men are being tried separately.
Baines, now 33, and Shemwell, now 35, are both facing three counts of murder and one count of first-degree assault. They are charged in the shooting deaths of Robert D. Smith Jr., 35; Jay Michael Sowders, 43; and Christopher Carie, 18. A fourth person, Carman Vanegas, who was 35 at the time, was also shot in the head but survived.
Both men appeared Thursday in front of Judge Tom Castlen.
Counsel for Baines asked for his bond to be reduced from $250,000 to $25,000, while Commonwealth’s Attorney Bruce Kuegel argued it should not be lowered because of the degree of the case.
“In this case, we have four victims — three of them were killed and one more was left severely wounded and suffers to this day for several reasons,” Kuegel said.
Castlen denied the motion. Baines also faces other charges in the case.
Shemwell is being represented by Leigh Jackson, who said getting a mental health examination for her client has been difficult as the presiding doctor has had COVID-19 twice since they have tried to retrieve the examination. The examination will be requested 90 days prior to the start of trial, which has yet to be set.
Baines and Shemwell will both appear in court again on December 20, with the expectation of trial dates being set for both. Baines will appear at 10:30 a.m., with Shemwell appearing at 1:30 p.m.
