PARKERSBURG - After three days of deliberations, a special session of the Wood County grand jury Friday afternoon determined there will be no charges from the shooting death of Chris Dickel on Sept. 20 at Mineral Manor Apartments in Mineral Wells.
Wood County Prosecutor Jason Wharton said the grand jury concluded Bryce Eugene Barnes, 19, was justified in his actions.
"The grand jury found the death was a justified shooting under the law," Wharton said. "There will be no charges against Barnes, other than those brought against him by the January grand jury on unrelated charges."
In its report the panel stated Barnes "was exercising his right to use reasonable and proportionate force, including deadly force, against intruders or attackers to prevent a forcible entry into his home or to terminate the intruder's entry into his home."
In January, the grand jury indicted Barnes on charges of delivery of a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.
Barnes was indicted in connection with a Jan., 5 arrest on charges of delivery of a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.
Agents with the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force stopped Barnes in the parking lot of Ryan's Steak House in south Parkersburg after receiving information he was allegedly selling drugs.
Barnes also faces charges of carrying a concealed weapon in Washington County from December.
When Barnes was charged it was announced five bills of information had been filed against the people whom prosecutors allege entered Barnes' apartment.
According to court records, a charge of conspiracy to commit burglary was filed against Shianne Danielle Winters, 20, Scott Michael Gough, 19, Shane Dye, 21, Toney Lee Dickel, 19, and Daniel David Dickel, 20.
According to the bill of information, on that date the defendants committed the offense during the nighttime in Barnes' home.
Dickel and others allegedly harassed Barnes and others in the apartment by yelling, pounding and kicking the door of the apartment. Police reported the group kicked in the door and entered the apartment.
According to police, while inside the apartment Dickel was shot by Barnes. Dickel later died from his wounds.
On Jan. 26, he entered a plea agreement with the state to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary. Judge Jeffrey Reed set the ruling on the plea and a possible sentencing for 10:30 a.m. April 12.
Reed made the same ruling Jan. 27 on the pleas from Winters, Gough, Dye and Toney Lee Dickel.
Reed set Gough's plea and possible sentencing for 2:30 p.m. April 12 and Dye's was set for 3:30 p.m. the same day. Winters and Dickel will have a plea hearing and possible sentencing on April 19, Winters at 10 a.m. and Dickel at 11 a.m.
