Holly MatkinSidney, OH – Security footage captured the moment when an Ohio father fatally shot his daughter’s ex-boyfriend as the 22-year-old man broke into the family’s home in July (video below).
The incident occurred at approximately 11:05 a.m. on July 31 at a residence in the 2900-block North Kuther Road, the Sidney Daily News reported.
Allyson Duckro, 22, was inside the house with her parents, Mitch and Stacy Duckro, when her 22-year-old former boyfriend, James Rayl, showed up unexpectedly, Shelby County Prosecutor Tim Sell and Shelby County Sheriff Jim Frye said in a joint statement on Aug. 5.
Video footage from a Ring doorbell camera showed Rayl as he approached the front door of the home and rang the doorbell multiple times.
“While at the front door, Rayl was advised to leave and was warned that the owner was armed with a gun,” Sell and Sheriff Frye said, according to the Sidney Daily News.
But Rayl was undeterred by the warning and allegedly proceeded to break into the family’s home.
“Rayl opened the screen door, shook the front door handle repeatedly, and rammed his shoulder into the door, forcing it open,” Sell and Sheriff Frye said. “Simultaneously, with the door being breached, three shots can be heard in rapid succession.”
Allyson Duckro called 911 and told them a man was trying to break into the family’s house just before the shooting occurred, the Sidney Daily News reported.
“Soon after the call was initiated, three distinctive gunshots were heard,” Sell and Sheriff Frye said.
Mitch Duckro, 52, later told investigators that he was the one who fired the rounds.
The video showed Rayl stumbling down the walkway leading from the front door to the driveway, where he sat down next to a parked vehicle.
As law enforcement and emergency medical personnel responded to the scene, bystanders began walking towards the family’s home, the Daily Mail reported.
“He tried to get to our daughter,” Stacy Duckro screamed, according to the news outlet. “He tried to break in!”
She also told them that police were on the way and that they had been told to stay away from the suspect because he was possibly armed, the Daily Mail reported.
Sell and Sheriff Frye said Allyson Duckro remained on the line with the 911 dispatcher until first responders arrived at the house, according to the Sidney Daily News.
“Upon arrival, units found a male, later identified as James Rayl, 22, of Sidney, Ohio, at the northeast corner of the garage. Units began to render first aid by placing defibrillator pads on the male,” they said.
The Fort Loramie rescue squad ultimately pronounced Rayl dead at the scene.
“The scene was then secured with crime scene tape and the body was covered,” Sell and Sheriff Frye said. “Shelby County Sheriff’s Office detectives were called to the scene and began an investigation.”
During the investigation, police discovered that the deadbolt on the “solid wooden” front door of the home was “in the locked position” and that the “casing to the lock side of the door was broken,” Sell and Sheriff Frye said, according to the Sidney Daily News.
Detectives also located three bullet holes in the decorative glass window of the front door, as well as three spent 9mm cartridges on the floor.
The gun used in the shooting was found sitting on the fireplace mantle, the Sidney Daily News reported.
“Mitch Duckro indicated he fired the weapon and admitted to discharging it three times,” Sell and Sheriff Frye said.
An autopsy revealed that Rayl was shot once in his left shoulder, once in his right shoulder, and once in his back.
Allyson Duckro said that she and Rayl were in a relationship that ended approximately 18 months ago, according to the Sidney Daily News.
She told investigators Rayl left her a voicemail shortly before the shooting to tell her he wanted to see how she was doing, the Daily Mail reported.
Sell presented the case to a grand jury on Aug. 4, according to the Sidney Daily News.
“The prosecutor advised the grand jury of the law regarding the crimes of murder, voluntary manslaughter, and reckless homicide, as well as the ‘Stand Your Ground’ and ‘Castle Doctrine’ laws recently enacted by the Ohio State legislature,” Sell and Sheriff Frye said. “The grand jury deliberated and determined by an 8-to-1 vote that a felony indictment should not be issued in this incident.”
But Rayl’s family has declared that Mitch Duckro “murdered” Rayl and launched a “Justice for James” campaign vowing that “justice will be served,” the Daily Mail reported.
“Mitch shot him in the back and killed him. And we know more than just that Mitchy,” Rayl’s sister, Jessica, said in an online post, according to the news outlet. “I hope your days are more miserable than they’ve ever been. You’re a disgusting excuse of a human being along with your daughter.”
The Duckro family’s home was put up for sale in the wake of the fatal shooting.
Watch the incident unfold in the video below. Warning – Graphic Content:
Imagine watching your son’s bad decision in real time end in his death.
As per shootings, this one was completely justified. The father; of his ex girlfriend, did everything right and gave him more than 3 opportunities to gtfoh.
Don’t be like, James Rayl. pic.twitter.com/o0hyIwecdC
— Champion Lover (@MiamiKerri) August 29, 2022
