JURY FINDS EDGAR GUILTY AND SENTENCES HIM TO 17 YEARS PRISON
On Monday, September 26, 2022, in the 411th Judicial District Court of presiding judge John Wells, testimony began in an Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Unlawful Restraint cases against Tyler Lance Edgar. The case was prosecuted by Polk County First Assistant District Attorney Beverly D. Armstrong. Edgar was represented by local criminal defense attorney Lana Shadwick.
The investigation revealed that the victim, Kelli Weber, and Edgar had been in a dating relationship for several months prior to the incident. During the relationship, Edgar moved in with Weber and her three sons. However, on March 25, 2022, Weber suspected Edgar of bringing drugs into her home. She ended their relationship and asked Edgar to leave. He left at that time but returned later with a shotgun.
Armstrong, began her presentation of evidence to the jury by playing the 911-recorded call. The call was received around 6:00 a.m. on the morning of March 26, 2022, from Weber. During the call, Weber advised that her ex-boyfriend, Tyler Edgar had entered her home, kicked down her bedroom door and pointed a shotgun at her and Cody LeCroy. Both Weber and LeCroy described to the jury how the defendant pointed the shotgun at them, then forced LeCroy out of the home at gunpoint. While Edgar walked LeCroy out of the house holding the shotgun to the back of his head, Weber called 911. However, before Weber got off the phone with the 911 operator, Edgar returned to the home and could be heard on the 911 recording, confronting Weber. Weber told the jury she was in her bedroom when Edgar returned. Edgar was standing by the door with the shotgun and she did not have a safe way to exit the bedroom. Additionally, Weber told the jury her three young boys were in the living room throughout the confrontation with Edgar.
Officers with the Onalaska Police Department arrived at the location shortly after receiving the 911 call. They located Edgar’s vehicle near the property. However, Edgar had fled the scene on foot. Edgar’s vehicle was towed and the shotgun was found in his truck.
Edgar was charged and indicted by a Polk County Grand Jury on two counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and two counts of Unlawful Restraint. Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon is a 2nd degree felony and has a penalty range of 2 to 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Unlawful Restraint: Expose to Serious Bodily Injury is a 3rd degree felony and has a penalty range of 2 to 10 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
After finding Edgar guilty of both counts in each case, the jury assessed punishment at 10 years in prison on Count I and 17 years in prison on Count II on the Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon charges and 10 years on both counts in the Unlawful Restraint: Expose to Serious Bodily Injury charges.
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