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VENICE, Sevier County — A man is dead and his neighbor is in jail facing murder charges following an early morning shooting Sunday.
The Sevier County Sheriff's Office received a report of shots fired at about 12:30 a.m., Sheriff Nathan Curtis said. When deputies arrived at the location, which curtis did not name, they found 36-year-old David Rioja on the ground. Despite the efforts of deputies and EMTs, Rioja could not be revived and died from a gunshot wound to the chest.
About this same time, another resident of Venice called 911 reporting he had been assaulted. William Muir, 39, gave some statements to deputies that led them to believe he was involved in the shooting, and they later recovered a handgun from Muir's residence.
Muir suffered some obvious injuries, and Curtis said there was a fight before the shooting.
Muir was being held Sunday night in the Sevier County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder. Curtis said evidence recovered so far shows this is not a case of self-defense. He also said alcohol was involved in the dispute.
