This happened just a few houses down from where I grew up (Mother and Step-father still live there).

[url]http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/news/news02/apr02/1181602.html[/url]

I don't remember this man when I was growing up, he probably moved in after I moved out from my parents' house.  I will be sending him a letter thanking him for being a outstanding neighbor.  My parents and some neighbors have summer holiday cookouts, and I plan to tell him that he is invited to these parties.

BTW, this is probably the first shooting in this neighborhood in the 30 yrs since my parents bought their house.

link isn't working for me. what suburb was it in? i have relatives in pickerington, whitehall and reynoldsburg.

Neighbor says fatal shot fired in self-defense
Friday, April 5, 2002
Alayna DeMartini
Dispatch Staff Reporter

Though Virginia "Sue'' Devoe's elderly neighbor had come to help, she doubted that he could fend off her raging ex-boyfriend, who had just dragged her through the house by her hair.

"He's a 90-year-old senior citizen. He can't do nothing,'' Devoe told a 911 dispatcher when she called Columbus police Tuesday night.

But 91-year-old Shirley Becraft did stop James Ryan McVay -- by shooting him once in the chest.

"She would be dead,'' Becraft said of Devoe. "I guarantee you. She would be dead.''

Becraft spoke yesterday for the first time about killing McVay at the home of Devoe, who lives a few houses away from him on E. Lincoln Avenue, just south of Worthington.

He said he had little choice but to shoot. McVay had pulled Devoe through the house by her hair, stomped on her and attempted to take her from the home on Tuesday.

Becraft said that when he yelled at the man, McVay turned on him, putting him in a chokehold.

Devoe, 54, had come to Becraft's door, crying, about 7:45 p.m. She said that McVay, 28, had called her and said he was coming to kill her, Becraft said. He also told her that he'd then set the house on fire.

Becraft said he told Devoe to stay at his house, but she was concerned that McVay would carry out his threat to burn the house.

So, Becraft grabbed his gun and went to Devoe's.

Two 911 calls came from Devoe's house Tuesday night. During the first call, at 8:13 p.m., nothing is said, but a woman's screams can be heard. About 15 minutes later, another call was made. Apparently not knowing that McVay was dead after Becraft shot him, Devoe tells the dispatcher that McVay has left the house and that she expects him to return.

con't

"I'm telling you, he's going to kill me,'' she tells the dispatcher. "He's going to kill me.''

Becraft said that what actually happened was he fired the gun behind him, into McVay's chest, to release the man's arm from around his neck. McVay then stumbled outside, where he collapsed and died on Devoe's driveway.

Though Becraft is 91, he looks at least two decades younger. He is fit and spry, despite a bout with prostate cancer.

Tuesday night was not the first time that Becraft had intervened for Devoe with McVay. On other occasions, he had told McVay to stop the harassment.

"He was trying to kill her day and night. I warned him and warned him and warned him,'' Becraft said. "I knew there was going to be trouble someday.''

Devoe yesterday declined comment about the shooting. McVay's relatives could not be reached.

Becraft is known in the neighborhood as someone who looks out for others, residents said.

He often takes out the trash cans for neighbors on garbage day because he considers it good exercise.

A retired heavy-equipment operator, Becraft has been a widower for five years.

"I didn't want to be involved in anything,'' Becraft said yesterday. "I just wanted to live in peace.''

Becraft hasn't been charged in McVay's death. Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said a grand jury will decide whether he shot in self-defense.

A Franklin County domestic-relations judge had issued a protection order against McVay in January 2001. That was just after Devoe reported to police that McVay had broken a window and a door to get into her house, and kept her from leaving her home for several hours.

During that time, he took her cellphone and her other phones, threatened to destroy her belongings and told her that if she contacted police, he would make her life "a living hell,'' the police report states.

McVay was retaliating after Devoe told him he could no longer live at her house and had the locks changed, according to the report.

But even after the protection order was issued, Devoe had problems with McVay, though he never was charged with domestic violence.

Earlier this week, the back of Devoe's daughter's car was smashed while it was parked in front of her house. No charges were issued because it could not be determined who did it.

In the morning, Becraft swept up the shattered glass.

______________________________________________________
Its in North Columbus, 2 streets south of Worthington.

sounds like one less scum bag to populate this planet.

Becraft hasn't been charged in McVay's death. Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said a grand jury will decide whether he shot in self-defense.


does that mean they are going too charge him? if so that is the stupidest thing ever!

Is it just me, or does it seem like people who are 60 years old or older have a way of being very blunt,to the point, and not politically correct. They are willing to accept the fact that harsh response is sometimes the only method that is effective. I don't know if it is an age thing, or if it just something about people from those generations.

Being a man named "Shirley" would also tend to give a guy a bad attitude. [;)]

Amazing story.  The guy is a hero.

1911greg, in many states, all homicides are automatically referred to a grand jury.  Ohio may be one of them.  With the circumstances as described, I fully expect a no-bill of Mr. Becraft.  Heck, they may take him out to dinner!

Agreed, and the fact that the police haven't charged or arrested him tends to support that.

Of course if McVay had been arrested for the earlier domestic, or the police had responded quickly to the 911 hang-up call.............

Geez...this lady was looking for some seriously young meat.....and this guy was seriously looking for anything resembling meat....

It also mentions her daughters' car getting a window broken out. Perhaps the daughter was dating the ding-a-ling and he didn't like her mom? (I know thw story says different, but the news never gets anything wrong.......)

"I'm not joking, and stop calling me 'Shirley'!" [:D]

Good riddance.  Well done Mister Becraft.  Watch-Six

That is the kind of old fart I hope I grow up to be like.  He makes Jack Lalane look like Mr. Rodgers.

This 4th of July you should walk out in the middle of the street and set off a bunch of illegal fireworks in his honor.  That is, right after you present him with his new shirt that says "NEIGHBORHOOD DEFENDER" on it.