On Monday the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office charged Allen Vintora Maae, 31, and Scott Allen Wheeler, 31, with first degree murder for the shooting of Jason Emery. The Prosecutor’s office also charged Maae with unlawful possession of a firearm.
On February 4, 2017, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department responded to the area of 50thAve. E. regarding a person having been shot at a nearby address. Upon arrival, officers were led to a house in the 4700 block of 64th St. E. in Tacoma where they found the victim, Emery, sitting on the floor with his back against a wall. Emery was nonresponsive, and officers began CPR. Officers observed a single gunshot wound to Emery’s hip area. He was pronounced dead at 5:46 am.
One of the witnesses who lead officers to Emery’s body indicated he was on the porch when the incident leading to Emery’s death occurred. He reported seeing Wheeler and another man, who he described as black and 6 feet tall with a medium build, pull up to the house in a newer, silver SUV. The witness reported that Wheeler was driving, but that he did not know the other man. Wheeler and the other man approached the residence and attempted to enter.
Wheeler began to try pushing the door to the house open as Emery attempted to hold it closed. The man with Wheeler then fired a warning shot. The witness ran from the area, but heard a second gunshot as he ran. He told officers that he heard Emery say, “Are you gonna shoot me in the stomach?” before the second shot was fired.
Bail is set at $2,000,000.00 for Maae and for Wheeler.
Charges are only allegations and a person is presumed innocent unless he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
