Father and son charged in killing of older man's brother

AVA, Mo. (AP) - A southern Missouri father and son have been indicted in the fatal shooting of the older man's brother during what authorities described as a family feud.

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley announced Tuesday that James "Lee" Aborn, 66, of Ava, has been charged with second degree murder, assault and armed crimination action in the killing of his 57-year-old sibling, John Aborn, and the wounding of another man. David Aborn, 49, is charged with acting with his father to commit second-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Douglas County Sheriff Chris Degase said after the January shooting that here had been an "ongoing feud" between the brothers, who lived next to each other, and that authorities had responded to both of their homes numerous times.

Lee Aborn's attorney, Roger Wall, described the shooting as "justifiable," saying his client shot his brother to save his son. Wall said John Aborn had shot through David Aborn's car window years earlier. Online court records show that John Aborn was convicted in 2012 of unlawful use of a weapon. The family had been carrying firearms and feeling "very fearful" since John Aborn's release, Wall said.

The latest dispute stemmed from a dispute about a trailer that Lee Aborn had asked John Aborn to return, Wall said. He said John Aborn went to Lee Aborn's property after dark because he was mad that the sheriff had gotten involved in the trailer dispute. That's when the shooting happened.

Wall said James Aborn "feels terrible about shooting his brother."

There is no probable cause statement that outlines the law enforcement account of how the shooting occurred because the charges are from a grand jury indictment and not a prosecutor's complaint.