Family of slain Woodbine man claim shooting was ‘premeditated’

For more complete coverage of this story, see today’s print edition of the News Journal

Emotional family members of a Woodbine man shot to death last week at the Root Beer Stand in Corbin say his accused killer should stay in jail until his trial, and claim the alleged murder of their brother was no accident, revealing for the first time publicly why they think the deadly incident took place.

Larry Wilson, 55, was arraigned in Whitley District Court in Corbin Tuesday morning on murder and first-degree wanton endangerment charges in connection with the fatal shooting. Wilson is accused of firing a 9mm pistol through the rolled-down window of his tow truck and killing 38-year-old Tod Carter after some sort of confrontation between the two men in the Root Beer Stand parking lot late Friday night.

Wilson, the owner of Wilson’s Towing in Williamsburg, has been held at the Whitley County Detention Center on no bond since the shooting. Whitley District Judge Cathy Prewitt entered not guilty pleas to both charges on his behalf in court on Tuesday and ordered he remain in jail until at least Aug. 11 when a hearing over the issue of bond is scheduled.

Carter’s half brother, Danny Swords, of Portsmouth, OH, attended the arraignment Tuesday and said he is pleased with the judge’s decision to set no bond in the case. He accused Wilson of planning the killing, saying he went to the restaurant to "entice" a fight.

"The man premeditated to kill my brother the way I look at it," Swords said. "I’ve never heard of a first-degree murderer getting a bond. If he does, it’s sick."

Police arrested Wilson without incident shortly after the shooting. He was still sitting in his tow truck when authorities arrived. Police say Wilson has said nothing to them about the incident and only requested an attorney when questioned. He has refused News Journal requests for an interview regarding the case.

Wilson is being represented by Williamsburg attorney Jane Butcher who did not return a call seeking comment at press time.

But on Tuesday, family members shed light for the first time on a possible motive for the killing, telling the story of a romantic fling gone awry. Swords said Carter’s wife, Kristi, had left him and the couple’s nine-year-old daughter, Hannah, two weeks ago to be involved with Wilson. He said the two had reconciled recently and that Kristi Carter had moved back home. She was an employee at the Root Beer Stand.

"This man (Wilson) met her at the Root Beer Stand and she ran off with him," Swords said. "She was with him for five or six days."

Tod Carter had been picking his wife up from the Root Beer Stand when she got off work, and Swords said that is why he was there Friday.

"Tod came early so he could feed his daughter. She was in the car too," he said. "When he pulled in, he saw [Wilson’s] tow truck. He had already been told to stay away from her. She told him it was over."

Swords claims Carter walked over to Wilson’s truck to confront him about his presence at the Root Beer Stand just before he was shot.

"He got out to ask him what he was doing there, and the man killed him," Swords said. "The people in the car next to him said he hadn’t said a word yet. There was plenty of witnesses."

Swords, who is in town for Carter’s visitation and funeral, said he spoke with his half brother just hours before he was shot to death. He claims rumors that Carter assaulted Wilson prior to the shooting are false, but admits he has no firsthand knowledge of what happened.

In photos taken by the News Journal shortly after he was taken into custody, Wilson can be seen with blood trickling from some sort of wound just below his left eye. According to Corbin Police Sgt. Bill Rose, the lead investigator in the case, Wilson did not struggle with police and was in no way injured by officers during his arrest. Initially, authorities confirmed that they believed Carter assaulted Wilson immediately prior to the shooting, but now say they are investigating that part of the case with a little more scrutiny.

"Someone said he hit him with a root beer mug. If someone hits you with one of those root beer mugs, there’s going to be more than a scratch on you."

Police were on the scene within minutes after a 911 call was made reporting the incident Friday. They were able to detain Wilson and a 9mm pistol was recovered from his truck.

Police say Wilson fired a single shot at Carter striking him the armpit area.

A round from Wilson’s gun also allegedly slammed into a vehicle parked nearby. Wilson faces an additional charge of first-degree wanton endangerment, police say, because a small child was seated in the vehicle near where the bullet hit.

Authorities have yet to find the bullet, even after a second attempt to locate it Saturday night. The Root Beer Stand was closed all day Saturday but reopened Monday.

Rose said Wilson had a permit to carry a concealed deadly weapon and added the gun used in the shooting did not appear to be stolen or illegally obtained.

For customers of the Root Beer Stand, the incident was traumatic.

"I was ordering my food and I heard a gunshot," said Patty Shelton, a customer at the Root Beer Stand at the time of the shooting. "At first I thought it was some kids playing with firecrackers or something, then I seen him [Carter] coming back and he fell on the car. Then people just told me to run."

Shelton said she panicked, got out of her car and sought safety in the restroom.

According to Root Beer Stand owner Willie Champlin, Carter approached Wilson’s tow truck from the opposite side of the drive-in restaurant. Soon after, chaos erupted.

"I’ve got four girls working out there and they all came in screaming ‘Call 911! Call 911! They were panicked," Champlin said. "They were shouting so loud I couldn’t find out why they wanted me to call 911. Then finally somebody told me Tod had got shot."

Champlin said Carter, whose wife is an employee at the Root Beer Stand, was still conscious when police and EMS personnel arrived. Some customers tried to stop the bleeding with napkins and towels until he could be transported to the hospital.

"In 40 years we’ve never had anything like this," Champlin said. "We’ve had a fist fight or two out in the parking lot before, but that’s about it … nothing this serious."

As for Wilson, witnesses say he never made any attempt to elude authorities.

"He never ran. He never even got out of his truck as far as I know," Champlin said. "The police came and got him. They put him on the ground and put him in the car and that was it."

A large pool of blood was clearly visible near where Carter collapsed to the ground. A small pool of blood could be seen near the driver’s side door of Wilson’s tow truck.

Rose said he interviewed about five people regarding the case Friday and plans to talk to many more in the coming days.
"I just don’t know a whole lot right now," Rose said. "Obviously, Carter had some kind of problem with the tow truck driver and he confronted him but that is about all I know."

Police strung crime scene tape around much of the perimeter of the Root Beer Stand shortly after the shooting. The restaurant was closed for the remainder of the evening. Police and Corbin Fire Department personnel were searching for shell casings and other forensic evidence after the shooting.

Authorities confirmed early Saturday morning that Carter passed away at Baptist Regional Medical Center. Whitley County Coroner Andy Croley has ordered an autopsy be performed to determine that exact cause of death.

An investigation into the shooting is ongoing.