That is what I'm wondering. It seemed pretty obvious that the reason that fact was included in the news report was to imply the guilt of Rye by showing that Odam did not fire at him... so I'm guessing they pretty much mean "there were no 7.62x39 shells found" around the area where the shooting occurred.MechAg94 said:
SC Officer shot 4 times in the back and killed - investigation continuing
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The site is excellent, the cop haters and their rhetoric are also a constant around here also - unfortunately. They use their ignorance a crutch which they constantly lean, to prop up & bolster the view of law enforcement that has no realistic basis.
Rest in Peace to the slain deputy - We are diminished.
12-34hom.
ok here goes
The trial started yesterday. For some strange reason there has not been anything in the press at all about it. Here is what I know came out in the court room yesterday. There were 3 people on the property. There had been several calls to the Sherrif's office regarding the dead cats in recents weeks prior to the shooting. The lock on the shed had been shoot off. Grover Rye called 911 prior to the shooting to report another dead cat and told the dispatcher that he knew the Sherrif Department would have a difficult time finding the property so he told them he would meet them at the end of the road. While waiting on an officer he heard shots fired. He pulled is deer rifle out of the truck(a M-1, I believe) and walked towards the shots. As he got to his shed, 3 men walked out with guns. Mr. Odam pointed a rifle(come to findout it was not an AK 47, but a modified M-16 now known as m-15) at Grover and he shot 4 times. There evidently was zero exchange of words. No argueing as previous posters had speculated.
The trial started yesterday. For some strange reason there has not been anything in the press at all about it. Here is what I know came out in the court room yesterday. There were 3 people on the property. There had been several calls to the Sherrif's office regarding the dead cats in recents weeks prior to the shooting. The lock on the shed had been shoot off. Grover Rye called 911 prior to the shooting to report another dead cat and told the dispatcher that he knew the Sherrif Department would have a difficult time finding the property so he told them he would meet them at the end of the road. While waiting on an officer he heard shots fired. He pulled is deer rifle out of the truck(a M-1, I believe) and walked towards the shots. As he got to his shed, 3 men walked out with guns. Mr. Odam pointed a rifle(come to findout it was not an AK 47, but a modified M-16 now known as m-15) at Grover and he shot 4 times. There evidently was zero exchange of words. No argueing as previous posters had speculated.
EmGeeGeorge
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I think that I would call the police if I saw armed men on my property. I would arm myself, but not confront them...
continued
The prosecution has tried to make Grover out to be a person with no respect for law and order. the fact is that Grover's father was the Sherrif in Eastover for over 30 years. As far as the shells, the lead investigator was asked how many shells were found and the answer was that they did not gather the shells. Grover went back and found the shells 2 weeks later after posting bond and called the Sherrifs office to come and get them. It has also been speculated on this thread that maybe there was a fued. That is not the case. The mother in law that Odam was visiting actually rent from Grover's mom. I still do not see how this even went to trial. A murderer would not have shot 1 person and left 2 witnesses. A cold blooded murderer would not have called back to 911 and said that he just shot the guy and would still be waiting for the Sherrif's department to show up. A murderer would not have went back to the scene 2 weeks later and gather the evidence for the police department.
The prosecution has tried to make Grover out to be a person with no respect for law and order. the fact is that Grover's father was the Sherrif in Eastover for over 30 years. As far as the shells, the lead investigator was asked how many shells were found and the answer was that they did not gather the shells. Grover went back and found the shells 2 weeks later after posting bond and called the Sherrifs office to come and get them. It has also been speculated on this thread that maybe there was a fued. That is not the case. The mother in law that Odam was visiting actually rent from Grover's mom. I still do not see how this even went to trial. A murderer would not have shot 1 person and left 2 witnesses. A cold blooded murderer would not have called back to 911 and said that he just shot the guy and would still be waiting for the Sherrif's department to show up. A murderer would not have went back to the scene 2 weeks later and gather the evidence for the police department.
12-34hom said:
The ignorance and use of crutches cuts both ways. There is a lack of evidence presented to support the biases on either side. It's rather easy to come up with scenario that makes the non-LEO the culprit (as Law Dog did), or both parties not at fault for a tragic "accident" (the two parties surprise each other; cop sees weapon, reacts by bringing up, and owner lawfully uses force to defend himself from the armed party trespassing on his property).
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm....
Curiouser and curiouser, as they say.
Two words: Slide Lock. I am suprised he quit shooting after 4 rounds if all three guys had firearms...
I've been open-minded to this point, but can we say "railroad". You can't dispute that the "investigator" dropped the ball here.
Would any of the LEOs on this board who have cried foul please address why evidence was left lying around for 2 weeks? That's discraceful, you would think that with the vic being a fellow officer, they would be EXTRA careful so no one could cry foul?!
Waiting for more information, but my pendulem is swinging...
Curiouser and curiouser, as they say.
Two words: Slide Lock. I am suprised he quit shooting after 4 rounds if all three guys had firearms...
I've been open-minded to this point, but can we say "railroad". You can't dispute that the "investigator" dropped the ball here.
Would any of the LEOs on this board who have cried foul please address why evidence was left lying around for 2 weeks? That's discraceful, you would think that with the vic being a fellow officer, they would be EXTRA careful so no one could cry foul?!
Waiting for more information, but my pendulem is swinging...
I don't know that I personally would have confronted them at all... 3 people with rifles vs 1 person with rifle doesn't normally sound like good odds. But, it doesn't sound like murder to me from that court description so far.
I guess I was off by one week. I too am confused on why I haven't found any reports on the topic.nitro882 said:
Are you family of the accused? PM sent.
Just to clearify a few points
He did not know there was 3 people until he got to the shed and the 3 people walked out of his shed.
2 had rifles and the other had a pistol which happened to by the deputy's police issued weapon, No the deceased did not have his own weapon, he was letting the brother in law play around with it.
The other 2 people ran and jumped the fence, yes the property was fenced, so no questions that they knew they were trespassing. The only reason that these 2 people were not shot was becasue they dropped their guns and ran which furhter proves that he was not a cold blooded killer as he has been made out to be. And to me shows that Odam pointed his gun and therefor was shot.
Yes, there were 4 shots. 2 in the back, 1 grazed the neck area and another that went in his left arma dn through his ribcage and into his heart. The defense will present evidence that shows the 1st shot was the fatal shot and that shot spun him around him to explain the other shots in the back. Odam was not running.
He did not know there was 3 people until he got to the shed and the 3 people walked out of his shed.
2 had rifles and the other had a pistol which happened to by the deputy's police issued weapon, No the deceased did not have his own weapon, he was letting the brother in law play around with it.
The other 2 people ran and jumped the fence, yes the property was fenced, so no questions that they knew they were trespassing. The only reason that these 2 people were not shot was becasue they dropped their guns and ran which furhter proves that he was not a cold blooded killer as he has been made out to be. And to me shows that Odam pointed his gun and therefor was shot.
Yes, there were 4 shots. 2 in the back, 1 grazed the neck area and another that went in his left arma dn through his ribcage and into his heart. The defense will present evidence that shows the 1st shot was the fatal shot and that shot spun him around him to explain the other shots in the back. Odam was not running.
buzz_knox said:
I dont know what his reactions would be at only 1 year on the job but I am almost certain a veteran officer is going to instinctively bring his weapon on target when being confronted by someone armed. It will happen without thought.......
There are as many cop lovers here as cop haters. I have said it before. A cop is human. Humans have been known to do some really dumb stuff (read ANY newspaper for examples). Therefore if A=B and B=C then A=C, ie cops do some really dumb stuff.
When you say "and he shot 4 times," are you referring to Odam or Rye? (in other words, is it just a coincidence that they both fired 4 shots)nitro882 said:
To the statement that Rye later collected the shells and turned them in to police, how did that go over in court? Was it accepted as fact or what?
I agree and I think that this is a really sad story. In my opinion, if the evidence shows that Rye murdered Odam, then so be it, and vice versa.aaronrkelly said:
yes he is a relative of mine
3rd cousin
I have only met him twice in my life that I can recall
best way that I can describe him from what little bit that I remember of him is, a quite guy that stayed to himself and was kinda like a hermet. Never went to town just hung around in the country.
3rd cousin
I have only met him twice in my life that I can recall
best way that I can describe him from what little bit that I remember of him is, a quite guy that stayed to himself and was kinda like a hermet. Never went to town just hung around in the country.
SKeefe said:
Rye shot the 4 times, there has been no evidence that Odam fired his weapon to my knowledge.
The collection of shells was not disputed by the lead investigator, only comment made was that the shoting occured close to a pile of scrap metal and a metal detector would have been useless
Unless there were other older cartridge casings laying around, a cursory inspection should have found at least one or two. It would at least confirm where the land owner was when we fired.
As far a cop-hater/cop-lovers, I think the main problem is that people jump to conclusions based on slim evidence and don't seem to care. Over and over again on this site, we have seen that the initial news reports are almost always wrong or only half-true. You would think it would make people a bit gun shy. Opinions are great, but make sure they fit what few facts are available. I don't mind debate, but try not to be outlandish just to stir people up. I think some posters just enjoy seeing the responses.
Based on the new information, I don't see anything new that would cause me to think the shooter is guilty of anything but self defense on his own property. Whatever the conditioned response of the officer was, he was not in uniform, he was trespassing armed, and he had no right to be where he was. He seems to also be involved in burglury for breaking into the guy's shed.
Personnally, if I was waiting for an officer to show up, I think I might have continued to wait after hearing shots. However, he didn't go walking through the woods, just went back to his shed. I might have done that just to confirm which direction the shots came from.
Purely my opinion and assumptions: I think these guys had something agianst his cats and were more or less hunting them. Sad that it had to turn out that way, but I can't see anything wrong with what the land owner did. I agree that it should never have made it to trial.
As far a cop-hater/cop-lovers, I think the main problem is that people jump to conclusions based on slim evidence and don't seem to care. Over and over again on this site, we have seen that the initial news reports are almost always wrong or only half-true. You would think it would make people a bit gun shy. Opinions are great, but make sure they fit what few facts are available. I don't mind debate, but try not to be outlandish just to stir people up. I think some posters just enjoy seeing the responses.
Based on the new information, I don't see anything new that would cause me to think the shooter is guilty of anything but self defense on his own property. Whatever the conditioned response of the officer was, he was not in uniform, he was trespassing armed, and he had no right to be where he was. He seems to also be involved in burglury for breaking into the guy's shed.
Personnally, if I was waiting for an officer to show up, I think I might have continued to wait after hearing shots. However, he didn't go walking through the woods, just went back to his shed. I might have done that just to confirm which direction the shots came from.
Purely my opinion and assumptions: I think these guys had something agianst his cats and were more or less hunting them. Sad that it had to turn out that way, but I can't see anything wrong with what the land owner did. I agree that it should never have made it to trial.
Outside of the actions of the deceased, I do think the Sherrif's Department should be ashamed of the way they went to the media with this story originally.
That's fine, but Rye is not responsible for Odam's mindset. All Rye could do was base his response on Odam's actions, which it sounds like he did.
Guy you don't know from Adam is trespassing on your land, comes out of the bushes and points a gun at you...sounds like a clean shoot to me.
DJJ said:
Thats my point exactly. The fact he was an officer and their conditioned response is not to let the other guy get the drop on him I was speculating that when the landowner came out, Odam brought up his weapon......I would take a guy point a rifle at me as a potential threat.......seems Odams recent disregard for law (trespassing, cat killing, shed B&E) and his training may have gotten him killed. I could see this VERY easily going down like a self-defense shooting.
Closing arguements scheduled today
Yesterday- the prosecution put the other guy in the stand. He claimed that Grover shot Odam while on the ground and shot him in the back. Defense made him look bad, by having him admit that he if was running away and jumping a 6 foot fence at the time, how could he see any shots fired.It also came out that there was only 2 people at the shed at the time of shooting, the third was still at the house reloading. Also, it was pointed out that all along Grover has said that 3 shots were fired at him. The defense asked lead investigator how many bullets were in the gun(m-15) that Odam was carrying and the answer was 37 in the clip and 1 in the chamber. The clip holds 40 and 1 in the chamber would be 41. 41 minis 3 equals 38.I just hope the jury is not swayed too much by the accomplis, a trepasser and proven lier. He lied on the stand about not knowing the cats were domesticated then admit to seeing cat food buckets. He said he did not realize he was trespassing then admitted to jumping a fence to get on the property and leave the property.
Yesterday- the prosecution put the other guy in the stand. He claimed that Grover shot Odam while on the ground and shot him in the back. Defense made him look bad, by having him admit that he if was running away and jumping a 6 foot fence at the time, how could he see any shots fired.It also came out that there was only 2 people at the shed at the time of shooting, the third was still at the house reloading. Also, it was pointed out that all along Grover has said that 3 shots were fired at him. The defense asked lead investigator how many bullets were in the gun(m-15) that Odam was carrying and the answer was 37 in the clip and 1 in the chamber. The clip holds 40 and 1 in the chamber would be 41. 41 minis 3 equals 38.I just hope the jury is not swayed too much by the accomplis, a trepasser and proven lier. He lied on the stand about not knowing the cats were domesticated then admit to seeing cat food buckets. He said he did not realize he was trespassing then admitted to jumping a fence to get on the property and leave the property.
nitro had posted earlier:
He later posted:
Now, failure to document spent shell casings at a shooting scene would seem to be a rather serious omission on the part of the investigator (***?). "Because they were near a pile of scrap metal" seems a laughably ridiculous excuse.
One thing that's not clear, nitro...are the shell casings (later found by Rye) from Odam's rifle, or Rye's? If from Rye: doesn't mean much because no one disputes that Rye fired on Odam...But, if from Odam: would refute a claim made that Odam's gun was not fired? A major point, in light of your second quote above (i.e., spent shells + remaining bullets = full magazine).
Perhaps you can clear this up? Thanks.
He later posted:
Now, failure to document spent shell casings at a shooting scene would seem to be a rather serious omission on the part of the investigator (***?). "Because they were near a pile of scrap metal" seems a laughably ridiculous excuse.
One thing that's not clear, nitro...are the shell casings (later found by Rye) from Odam's rifle, or Rye's? If from Rye: doesn't mean much because no one disputes that Rye fired on Odam...But, if from Odam: would refute a claim made that Odam's gun was not fired? A major point, in light of your second quote above (i.e., spent shells + remaining bullets = full magazine).
Perhaps you can clear this up? Thanks.
the problem with trying to count spent shells is this. Odam and 2 other were targeting shooting earlier in the day(and killing cats) so there are spent shells everwhere. All 3 ran out of bullets and went back to the MIL's house to reload. Odam and 1 other person returned and the 3'rd was still reloading. There is no way to know whether the 3 shells fired from the M-15 gun were fired at cats or at Grover. There is also no way to know whether the gun was ever fully loaded. However in mind, it is reasonable to assume that if he went through the trouble to walk all the way back to house to reload that he would have completly loaded the clip. I also feel that it is reasonable to assume that if the 3rd person is still back at the house, that Odam and the 2nd party had just returned to Grover's property very recently, and the 3 missing bullets were fired since the return to Grover's property.
http://www.wyff4.com/news/5494428/detail.html
Jurors Receive Case Of Man Charged In Deputy Killing
POSTED: 3:19 pm EST December 8, 2005
UPDATED: 3:36 pm EST December 8, 2005
Email This Story | Print This Story
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- On Thursday, jurors began deliberating the case of a man charged in the death of an off-duty Beaufort County sheriff's deputy more than a year ago in Richland County.
Prosecutors said 59 year-old Thomas G- Rye of Columbia fatally shot Robert Odam, 22, in August 2004 after Odam and a friend were trespassing on Rye's property in Eastover.
The defense said Rye thought his life was in danger and was acting in self defense.
Prosecutors played a 911 tape from the day of the shooting. Rye called authorities before the shooting to say someone was on his property without his permission shooting at his cats and had broken into a building.
Jurors Receive Case Of Man Charged In Deputy Killing
POSTED: 3:19 pm EST December 8, 2005
UPDATED: 3:36 pm EST December 8, 2005
Email This Story | Print This Story
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- On Thursday, jurors began deliberating the case of a man charged in the death of an off-duty Beaufort County sheriff's deputy more than a year ago in Richland County.
Prosecutors said 59 year-old Thomas G- Rye of Columbia fatally shot Robert Odam, 22, in August 2004 after Odam and a friend were trespassing on Rye's property in Eastover.
The defense said Rye thought his life was in danger and was acting in self defense.
Prosecutors played a 911 tape from the day of the shooting. Rye called authorities before the shooting to say someone was on his property without his permission shooting at his cats and had broken into a building.
GUILTY
http://www.wltx.com/news/news19.aspx?storyid=33168
Eastover Man Convicted in Deputy's Killing
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - An Eastover man was convicted of murder Thursday night in the fatal shooting of an off-duty Beaufort County sheriff's deputy who was on his land more than a year ago in
Richland County.
Prosecutor Ted Lupton says 59-year-old Thomas G. Rye was sentenced to 30 years in prison for shooting 22-year-old Robert Odam in August 2004.
The defense said Rye feared for his life and was acting in self defense.
Prosecutors say Odam and Mitchell had been on Rye's land, using an AR 15 rifle to shoot at cats they thought were strays.
http://www.wltx.com/news/news19.aspx?storyid=33168
Eastover Man Convicted in Deputy's Killing
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - An Eastover man was convicted of murder Thursday night in the fatal shooting of an off-duty Beaufort County sheriff's deputy who was on his land more than a year ago in
Richland County.
Prosecutor Ted Lupton says 59-year-old Thomas G. Rye was sentenced to 30 years in prison for shooting 22-year-old Robert Odam in August 2004.
The defense said Rye feared for his life and was acting in self defense.
Prosecutors say Odam and Mitchell had been on Rye's land, using an AR 15 rifle to shoot at cats they thought were strays.
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