Tucker Richard

A trial for an Ellicott resident who was accused of killing his stepfather has been delayed.

Tuesday was supposed to be jury selection for Tucker Richard who has been charged with second-degree murder.

On Jan. 6, 2023, Richard, who was 18 at the time, allegedly shot and killed 57-year-old Scott Blake, whom Richard lived with at 2256 Willard St. Ext. in the town of Ellicott, not far from the Jamestown city line.

During a preliminary hearing last year, it was stated that the two had regularly argued, and officers had been at the residence multiple times in the past. At least once Richard had been arrested, although no details were shared about the nature of the previous charges.

At that hearing, Det. Kevin Pierce at the Ellicott Police Department said Richard told him that Blake had kicked in the door to his bedroom hours earlier and, during an altercation over a messy bedroom, struck him with an unloaded sawed-off shotgun. The gun reportedly fell apart afterward, at which time Blake reportedly went downstairs and was followed by Richard.

The suspect told Pierce that his stepfather retrieved another shotgun. While wrestling the gun away, Richard first claimed that it went off, striking Blake in the head. However, Pierce said Richard later changed his account, stating that he grabbed the weapon from Blake and, fearing that his stepfather would get another gun, “pulled the trigger on instinct.”

It was stated during the preliminary hearing that Richard was the individual who called 911 following the altercation. No one else was home at the time of the shooting.

Richard is being represented by James Williams, assistant county’s public defender. District Attorney Jason Schmidt is serving as lead prosecutor.

Schmidt said Monday that the trial has been adjourned at the request of the defense. “We received a late lab report and they want time to evaluate it, which is fair,” he said.

A new trial date has not been scheduled.