Sterling Mills said he shot Aron Villegas in self-defense when Villegas and others broke into his Great Bend home at 1801 Eighth St. and beat him. But when Mills called police about the break-in, he did not mention that he had shot anyone.
Meanwhile, Adam Suppes initially told police that he and Aron Villegas of 2903 Lakin Avenue were walking to Casey’s Supermarket on 10th Street to get pizza when Villegas suddenly grabbed his side and said his chest hurt; they then walked back to the house.
Officials investigating the events of the early morning of November 15, 2015, found that statements had been altered and witnesses on both sides were uncooperative. Details of the ongoing investigation were released as three joint preliminary hearings began Wednesday for the three men accused of premeditated murder in connection with Mr. Villegas’ death: Alejo Villegas, Juventino Villegas and Adam Suppes.
The preliminary hearing will continue at 9 a.m. Thursday in Barton County District Court.
The Barton County District Attorney’s Office alleges that the suspects were with Aron Villegas and were involved in an aggravated burglary that ended in murder, which is why they can be charged with murder.
Amber Allen of the Great Bend Police Department was one of the officers dispatched to 1801 Eighth St. at 6:39 a.m. on Nov. 15. She testified that Mills was “distraught” and appeared “scared and afraid.” He had a scrape on one arm and his left eye was red and beginning to swell.
“He told me several people broke in and spanked his butt,” Allen said. He told her there were three or four people, but he wasn’t sure who they were. The front door was broken down, as was the bedroom door. Mills said he was hit in the back with a piece of wood from the second door. Police recovered a sledgehammer that Mills said had been left behind.
During this police investigation, a report came in that shots had been fired at 2903 Lakin. Mills heard part of the radio message, but still did not mention that he had fired a weapon.
When he testified Wednesday, Mills admitted that the shooting took place in his home. He had fired a .45 Ruger pistol that he kept under his pillow. He struggled with Aron, Alegjo and Juventino Villegas. After he fired the gun, he heard someone say, “You shot my brother.” Then Alejo Villegas grabbed the gun from him and they all walked away.
Mills identified all three suspects in the courtroom, calling them “Adam,” “AJ,” and “Tino.” He did not say Suppes was in his house, however, only that a tall white man with tattoos on his arms was standing in the doorway.
Instead, he said he identified them because he saw their photos in the newspaper and believed the police had arrested the right people. He did not explain how he knew two of them from their street names.
Allen said Mills was uncooperative and confused when speaking to police. But so were the people on Lakin Avenue, who admitted to drinking the night before. They were also upset that Aron had been shot, but no one knew who shot him or where it happened.
Mills was interviewed more than once by Great Bend detectives and an agent from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. One interview lasted eight hours.
Official reports cited at the preliminary hearing show that Mills was evasive when asked if a weapon was involved. His responses at the time were: “It could be. It depends. Are you going to take me to jail?”
After being told that it was “understandable” to shoot intruders who were hitting him, he admitted to shooting Aron Villegas.
He told officials and testified Wednesday that his memory was flawed because he was in a car accident that caused a brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder, for which he takes medication. And although he was afraid to go to the hospital on Nov. 15 because someone might be waiting there, he later went to the doctor and was told he had a concussion.
