CA - Shooting Unlocks Devastating Secret, Widow Supports Killer

[Kevlar]

Twenty days before his planned storybook wedding in Yosemite National Park, Aaron Vargas got drunk on beer and vodka and pocketed a loaded revolver. Then he drove to a remote trailer and shot Darrell McNeill to death in front of the man's horrified wife.

McNeill's death shocked residents of this small city on the rugged Northern California coast, and so did Vargas' motive. But what came next might have been the biggest surprise of all.

Assistant Dist. Atty. Elizabeth Norman describes McNeill, who was unarmed when he was killed, as "a little old man with Parkinson's disease, who was in his little trailer home in his stockings, pants and T-shirt."

But Elizabeth McNeill, Darrell's widow, tells a different story in court documents: "My husband had a secret life that was unknown to me.... I believe my husband sexually molested Aaron when Aaron was a child and may have also molested other children in Fort Bragg."

Since Vargas, 32, pulled the trigger on that Sunday night 16 months ago, at least a dozen other alleged victims have come forward in a sexual abuse saga that some say stretches back as much as a century. Among them: McNeill's stepson, a young man who eventually killed himself and another who tried to commit suicide.

At first there was disbelief that the genial youth leader could have preyed on the town's children. But as stories of the alleged victims began to trickle out, residents of Fort Bragg, a struggling former logging town of 6,855, did the unexpected.

They rose up to support the accused murderer — a young man with a history of alcohol abuse who faced 50 years to life in prison for taking the law into his own hands.

"You'll never hurt anybody again," Vargas said before pulling the trigger, according to court documents. He kicked the body as it bled on the trailer floor. He wouldn't let Elizabeth call 911 until after he was certain that her 63-year-old husband was dead. He told her what McNeill had done to him for nearly 20 years.....

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jun/12/local/la-me-fort-bragg-killing-20100612.

 

[terraformer]

Proof positive you can never trust a prosecutors version of events.

The prosecutors version of events to the press.

Assistant Dist. Atty. Elizabeth Norman describes McNeill, who was unarmed when he was killed, as "a little old man with Parkinson's disease, who was in his little trailer home in his stockings, pants and T-shirt."

This was testimony of the wife soon after the killing.

"You'll never hurt anybody again," Vargas said before pulling the trigger, according to court documents. He kicked the body as it bled on the trailer floor. He wouldn't let Elizabeth call 911 until after he was certain that her 63-year-old husband was dead. He told her what McNeill had done to him for nearly 20 years.

Can anyone argue that the ADA didn't have this knowledge when she painted this monster as "a little old man with Parkinson's disease, who was in his little trailer home in his stockings, pants and T-shirt."

BTW: The kid plead guilty to manslaughter and is looking at ten years. I would have spun the dice with the jury.

 

[Turbocharged]

BTW: The kid plead guilty to manslaughter and is looking at ten years. I would have spun the dice with the jury.

My understanding is that he is looking at UP TO 10 years.
Given the evidence, I hope the judge doesn't throw the book at him.

 

[In God We Trust]

In CA I don't think I would have taken a chance with the jury. Those liberal idiots would have sided with the diddler probably.

 

[dwarven1]

I don't know what "Dwarven" would do, but Dwarven1 isn't sure. Given the information, I suspect that, were I the judge, I'd give Mr Vargas a very firm slap on the wrist and shake my finger at him and say "Naughty, naughty! Don't do that again!".

Seriously... unless Vargas has been molested by someone else, it's not like he's going to kill again, is it? This seems like a case of what the old man did for decades finally coming back on him.

I just don't know.

This is a very ugly case. No matter what, there have been lives ruined here.

It will be interesting to see what the judge does hand down for a sentence. I'm glad I'm NOT the judge - he's got a hell of a job ahead of him.

 

[careful34]

Since Vargas, 32, pulled the trigger on that Sunday night 16 months ago, at least a dozen other alleged victims have come forward in a sexual abuse saga that some say stretches back as much as a century

How can it stretch back a century if the guy was only 63?

 

[dwarven1]

How can it stretch back a century if the guy was only 63?

RTWT.

The 63 year old's father apparently abused him... which leads them to wonder who abused grampa.

 

[GSG]

Proof positive you can never trust a prosecutors version of events.

But the hysterical wives of criminals are always trustworthy

 

[Turbocharged]

I don't know what "Dwarven" would do, but Dwarven1 isn't sure. Given the information, I suspect that, were I the judge, I'd give Mr Vargas a very firm slap on the wrist and shake my finger at him and say "Naughty, naughty! Don't do that again!".

Seriously... unless Vargas has been molested by someone else, it's not like he's going to kill again, is it? This seems like a case of what the old man did for decades finally coming back on him.

Judge: "I'm going to let you off with 1 year probation, but first, is there anyone else who may have abused you in the past that you might be inclined to kill?"

 

[rattletrap1970]

This will be an interesting one to follow.

 

[ShadeWPI]

But the hysterical wives of criminals are always trustworthy

The second account was the account of the widow of the victim, who was also a witness to the homicide.

 

[calsdad]

WWDD

What Would Dwarven Do?

What would Jose do?

 

[Skald]

Man, this is one hell of a case as far as what to do, and have done. Those criticizing the DA on this one need to remember that he could very well have been facing Murder 1, which in California is defined as "willful, deliberate, and premeditated," (Cal. Penal Code S 189). I really hope the judge goes pretty easy on him.

 

[Coyote33]

 

[GSG]

The second account was the account of the widow of the victim, who was also a witness to the homicide.

If the news story got this right, the victim was a criminal, which is par for the course.

 

[Bill Nance]

He's going to get totally hammered. It's first-degree premeditated murder in the eyes of the law and judges get really pissy about other people playing about on their turf.
The testimony of the other victims won't even make it into the courtroom because it's hearsay. Poor bastard should have either moved on with his life or had a little more creativity in the deed. He's screwed, blued and tattooed.

 

[glockstones]

I would thow the book at this guy...........the AA book and maybe sentence him to some help getting his life staight. He did kill someone and it is easy to say what would blank do but you don't know this guy(if tue) was molested fo his entie child hood just my thought on it. By the way if my spelling is off i am missing that lette between Q&S doughte pulled it off and lost it somewhe.

 

[jenlynn724]

WTF?? sick sick people in this world..

 

[TomH]

He's going to get totally hammered. It's first-degree premeditated murder in the eyes of the law and judges get really pissy about other people playing about on their turf.
The testimony of the other victims won't even make it into the courtroom because it's hearsay. Poor bastard should have either moved on with his life or had a little more creativity in the deed. He's screwed, blued and tattooed.

A previous post stated he was facing UP TO 10 years after pleading to manslaughter. So unless he was mistaken, I don't see how this could be the case.

 

[Bill Nance]

A previous post stated he was facing UP TO 10 years after pleading to manslaughter. So unless he was mistaken, I don't see how this could be the case.

If that's all he's facing then he got the break a lifetime from the prosecutor, who could have pressed for murder 1 and had it stick. Sounds like a plea deal has already been reached.

Dead guy? -Check
Premeditation? -Check
Intent to kill? =Check

That's a lifetime triip to the state pen most of the time. Despite California's reputation of liberalism, they tend to hammer people pretty hard over violent crime. I'm not saying the guy deserved to get crucified. Hell, if I was on the jury I'd vote to acquit under the circumstances. but what he did isn't manslaughter, it's intentional murder.

 

[Kevlar]

9 Years In Prison...

A Northern California man who fatally shot a family friend accused of molesting him for years was sentenced Tuesday to nine years in prison in the vigilante shooting.

Aaron Vargas, 32, was sentenced after pleading no contest to voluntary manslaughter in the death of 63-year-old Darrell McNeill.

Vargas said McNeill began sexually abusing him when he was 11 and continued harassing him into adulthood.

After the February 2009 killing, several other people, including McNeill's stepson, came forward to say McNeill had molested them.

Hundreds of supporters in Vargas' town of Fort Bragg asked authorities for leniency for the shooter.

Vargas faced a maximum of 10 years in prison. His defense lawyer had argued for probation.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j1rqh2fDBwF7mRDrJ4PAAQT_3iwwD9GBT8BO1.

 

[Bill Nance]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j1rqh2fDBwF7mRDrJ4PAAQT_3iwwD9GBT8BO1.

Exactly my point. He pleaded down to voluntary manslaughter.

 

[mikem317]

What would Jose do?

Yeah, as if we don't know already.