Dog stabbed during home invasion murder
Tulsa, OK (US)

Incident Date: Saturday, Dec 18, 2010
County: Tulsa

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Tyler Kerry Hamlett

A teenager must face trial for murder, robbery and burglary counts related to the fatal shooting of a National Guard member outside the slain man's home, a Tulsa County judge ordered Friday.

Tyler Kerry Hamlett, 17, was bound over for trial on five felonies - first-degree felony murder, first-degree burglary, robbery with a dangerous weapon, assault while masked and cruelty to an animal.

He and Michael Morris Taylor are charged with murdering Jerry Lee VanEllen, 38, an Army National Guard member who was shot in the chest early Dec. 18 outside his home in the 5800 block of South 87th East Avenue.

A preliminary hearing for Hamlett was conducted Friday.

Taylor, 19, will undergo a mental competency evaluation, and court proceedings related to the merits of the charges against him will not move forward until the competency issue is resolved.

Hamlett said Taylor shot VanEllen, police reported.

Evidence indicated that two masked intruders broke into the home, which was occupied by three adults and two small children.

Chance Perry, VanEllen's brother, testified that he was asleep on the living room floor and ''woke up with a gun to my head."

One intruder had a revolver, and the other had a knife, according to testimony.

In the robbery count, Taylor and Hamlett are accused of taking two cell phones, money and computer items from the residence.

While the intruders were there, VanEllen got frustrated, and ''you could tell he was angry," Perry testified.

When the intruders left, VanEllen followed them. He was close to the person with the knife, who moved out of the way before the intruder with the gun fired two shots, according to Perry.

Hamlett was arrested Dec. 19. Police Cpl. Marcus Harper testified that when questioned, Hamlett indicated that he was with Taylor and that Taylor had the gun.

Hamlett alone is charged with cruelty to an animal. He said he stabbed the Van-Ellens' dog to get it to stop barking.

Harper testified that Hamlett said he and Taylor went there looking for "weed" - marijuana.

Evidence indicated that Perry and VanEllen told the intruders that there was no marijuana in the house.

Police said previously that they believe that the intruders went to the house because they incorrectly thought a drug dealer lived there.

Taylor is also known as Michael Davis, records show. Both defendants are in the Tulsa Jail.

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