By Michael Kinney
The Moore American
MOORE
July 02, 2008 10:05 am
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Rickey Fowler awakened to screams ringing through his house Wednesday morning. Before getting up to check on his family, Fowler said he thought he was in a dream.
However, what Fowler and the rest of his neighborhood woke up to could be described more as a nightmare as one of their neighbors, Gregory Lee Lutts, was found lying outside dead.
“I heard somebody yelling, ‘Help me, help me please,’” Fowler said. “I got up thinking it was a dream. I got up and checked my second daughter’s bedroom. When I did, she said, “Dad, did you hear that?’ I realized it wasn’t a dream and went back to the phone and dialed 911. The police were here by the time I walked from the front of the house to the back.”
Lutts, 40, of 300 Pauline Renee, was discovered about 2 a.m. Wednesday lying across the street from his house, according to Sgt. Todd Strickland of the Moore Police Department. Jeffry Jon Weaver, 18, was taken into custody and charged with the first degree murder of Lutts.
A first-degree murder charge was filed Thursday in Cleveland County District Court against Weaver.
“Around 2 a.m. officers responded to the intersection of Southeast 28th and Elizabeth Ann after receiving a report of a man yelling for help,” Strickland said. “On the officers’ arrival, they located a man on the grass that had several puncture wounds to his body. He was deceased at the time.”
Cory Aduddell, who lives at the residence where Lutts was found dead, said his parents got a call from Fowler letting them know a man was in their yard. By the time they got outside, the police were already on the scene.
According to Strickland, the officers looked across the street to 300 Pauline Renee and saw a gate and side house door standing open along with other items that caught their attention. After checking out the house and finding no one at home, the officers determined the house was possibly the place the crime had occurred.
“The officers were notified by a neighbor that a male had left her house after she let him in to make a call,” Strickland said. “He was attempting to get a ride out of the area. Officers said the male (Weaver) was walking down the street, they tried to get his attention and he took off running. They caught him and a physical altercation between the man and the officers took place. He was taken into investigative detention.”
While in detention, Weaver made statements that made the officers believe he was involved in the altercation, Strickland said.
Weaver allegedly told police he’d taken methamphetamine to the victim’s residence, and both had injected the drug. Weaver told police Lutts was “making sexual advances and shot him up with ice.”
Weaver said he left the residence and was struck by an object Lutts had in his hands. Weaver said Lutts “backed off” and Weaver took a screwdriver out of his pocket and struck Lutts several times in the face and chest. Lutts was dead at the scene, upon officers’ arrival.
Police arrested Weaver after he reportedly went down the block and asked residents for a ride to leave the area. Officers responded and after a brief chase and scuffle, took Weaver into custody.
“We believe Mr. Lutts and Mr. Weaver were acquaintances,” Strickland said. “Mr. Weaver came over to Mr. Lutts’ residence, an argument occurred which led to a physical altercation. We believe Mr. Weaver caused the death of Mr. Lutts. We have recovered the weapon.”
According to his neighbors, Lutts was a longtime resident of the neighborhood, was quiet and kept to himself. It wasn’t until a few years ago that they found out he was involved with any type of illegal activities.
“He has lived here longer than me,” said Don Snow, who lives across the street from Lutts. “He was always nice and polite. Always working on his yard. Always put up Christmas, Thanksgiving and even Halloween lights up. He was a nice guy. I didn’t talk to him a lot, because he had had problems before. They did a drug raid there a year and or a year and a half ago.”
On Oct. 18, 2005, Lutts was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute and possession of precursor substances. Feb. 14 of this year, Lutts pleaded guilty to both charges and received two 10-year suspended sentences.
“He has a lot of traffic that comes and goes late at night,” Snow said. “Here lately it got more busy than normal. When I say late, I mean midnight kind of traffic. Most of the neighbors probably don’t see it, but I come home late at night and he’ll have cars out front. You are always concerned. But I have never not felt safe. I never felt something like that was going to happen. It worried me when they did the drug raid. That was a bit disappointing.”
After Weaver’s arrest, Lutts’ neighbors were questioned by the police until almost 5 a.m.
The early morning fatality was an unexpected wake-up call for the residents of the quiet suburban neighborhood. But it didn’t come as a complete shock.
“It’s kind of a surprise to you when it’s close to you,” Fowler said. “But the truth is, it can happen anywhere at anytime. I’m sure yesterday he didn’t expect it to be his last day. So we all have to be prepared to meet our maker.”
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