Foster
An attempted murder case in Mason County is bound for the grand jury.
Gavin Foster, 22, was recently charged with attempted murder and first-degree strangulation. On Friday, the Mason County District Court held a pretrial hearing regarding the charges brought forth.
Detective Michael Parsons with the Maysville Police Department testified that on Aug. 25 at 7:40 p.m., Amari Foster called 911 and reported her husband as suicidal. MPD was dispatched to their shared residence and transported the defendant to Meadowview Regional Medical Center for evaluation who later sent him to a treatment facility where he stayed for five days.
Parsons said that on Sept. 2, one week later, the defendant’s wife went to the Maysville Police Department and asked for an EPO because her husband had threatened and choked her as well as fired a gun at her friend.
According to Amari Foster, Gavin Foster returned home to find his wife’s friend sitting on his couch putting his shoes on while Amari Foster was in the kitchen. Amari Foster went on to say that Gavin Foster reached his hand into a bag nearby. He pulled out a black handgun and cocked it and pointed it at Phalen Stien, Amari Foster’s friend.
Parsons said Amari Foster cried, “Gavin, don’t,” before Gavin Foster yelled, “You’ve taken everything from me,” and then fired the gun in Stien’s direction.
The bullet was dislodged into a wooden coffee table. Parsons determined the way the projectile traveled through the back corner of the table near the couch and through the wall.
MPD Lieutenant Paul Mellankamp and MPD Officer Kelly Prater were the responding officers who conducted a home inspection. A casing was found 6-7 feet from where the projectile went through the wall. Parsons said that the distance between the casing and the hole was consistent with witness testimony.
Parsons said that after the shooting occurred, Gavin Foster threatened Amari Foster and then strangled her until her breathing was affected. Parsons then told the court that Amari Foster provided photo evidence of scratch marks on both sides of her neck which she took on August 30. The investigators then took official photos. Amari Foster stated neck pain for days after the incident.
Parsons found Gavin Foster at a friend’s residence across the street from the Maysville Police Department. He asked Gavin Foster to walk with him to the station since he had an Emergency Protective Order. Gavin Foster willingly went with Parsons where he was later asked about the details of the incident on August 25.
On Sept. 2, Gavin Foster was asked for an interview to give his account of the incident that occurred on Aug. 25. Parsons invoked his right to remain silent. On Sept. 11, an arrest warrant was issued and Gavin Foster was taken into custody where a second attempt for an interview was made but again, he refused.
Gavin Foster’s attorney, Bryan Underwood, requested a bond reduction on the grounds that no contact had been made between Gavin Foster and Amari Foster. Underwood also said that Gavin Foster had never been in legal trouble before.
Mason County District Court Judge Kim Leet Razor rejected the bond reduction request and probable cause was found so the bond would be maintained at the original amount. The case was then bound to the grand jury.
