And then you said you fired the first round kind of in the stomach area. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> And then you said like nothing happened, there wasn't any blood, so you fired again. >> He just went like like somebody had slugged him and then kept coming at me. So I fired again. And then he kept coming at me and he was kind of like he was kind of like he was drunk and he was and that's when I pulled the gun and shot him in the face. >> Detectives are speaking with a 78-year-old man, David [music] Boyd, who is afraid of going to jail, yet had the guts to murder his 53-year-old neighbor, Chad Van Scotter, just a few hours ago. >> I kind of looked in there okay to see if he was moving. And he didn't move, so I just figured he was probably dead. >> But unfortunately, even after murdering his neighbor, David had no remorse for what he did. >> To tell you the truth, I'm relieved that it's over. >> Did you know at that point you did wrong? >> I don't think I did wrong. >> You don't think you did wrong? >> No. >> On January 28th, 2025, officers responded to a 911 call from a 78-year-old man, David Boyd. David had reported that he had just shot his 53-year-old neighbor, Chad Van Scotter, at their apartment complex. When officers arrived, they met David outside his house and immediately handcuffed him. He was taken to the back of the patrol car and before he was transported to the police station for questioning. One officer began asking him what happened, but what David would eventually reveal shows that he had not yet grasped what he was about to face. >> Can you walk me through what happened tonight? >> Well, basically uh Yeah. Thinks that I said something derogatory about him. >> Okay, who's Chad to you? >> Chad, he's just my neighbor. >> Okay. >> even know his last name. >> Okay. >> Yeah, when I first moved in there, he was fairly nice to me. Uh would come out, sit and smoke pot out in the front of the house there. >> Okay. >> And uh would come over and talk to me when I was sitting out in the front of the house. And uh he indicated that he wanted me to uh be his chauffeur and to drive him around and do things for him. >> Okay. >> And I said, "Well, I can't afford gas to to be hauling you around or anything." And uh so, I don't know, a couple weeks in, he just suddenly stopped coming out and stayed in his house all the time. And uh the uh couple of workers were working down here in this uh first apartment. And uh I had walked down and talked to them. And uh one of them had asked me if Chad was bothering me. And I said, "No, I said I hear occasionally I hear him closing his cupboard doors in his kitchen, but otherwise it he hasn't bothered me any." And uh for some reason, they told him that I had said he was banging his cupboard doors and keeping me awake. >> Okay. >> Well, his cupboard doors aren't anywhere near my bedroom, so it was just them trying to get the two of us at odds, I guess. >> Okay. >> And so, he came up, banged on my door, started screaming and hollering at me and slapping me. And I just backed up and closed the door and called the police. And there was a couple officers came out and talked to us and he uh >> Prior to this moment, David had called the police concerning the same noise complaint 7 months earlier. During that call, he threatened that he would shoot Chad. But the investigator who handled that case noted that Chad's television was actually at a reasonable level. The investigator eventually told them to keep their distance if they couldn't get along with each other. With all that 7 months to think, yet David still couldn't find a better way to handle his temper than a gun. >> When did this happen? >> Oh, this has been probably 6-7 months ago. >> Okay. >> And it's just got gradually worse since then. He uh he puts a a radio or a TV or something in the little bedroom right next to my bedroom and uh if you go in there, you can hear it. It's just blaring into my bedroom and I can't sleep with the with the blaring. And he's just he's done that on a regular basis and I've called the police on him on several occasions and they just they say, "Oh, there's nothing we can do about it." >> Okay. >> And uh so then uh he went to the management company and told the manager that I was harassing him. >> Okay. >> And I actually had gone and got a set of earphones and a wire and had my TV where I would listen to my TV with my earphones. I didn't have it up to where he could even hear it. And he just uh about I don't know, once every two or three weeks would start blaring radio or something in the bedroom to keep me awake. And the last couple of months I've been sleeping in the little bedroom on a cot because I can't sleep in there with that radio blaring all the time. >> Okay, so what happened tonight? >> He for some reason he put a radio in his kitchen >> Okay. >> and just had it blaring. And I couldn't even hear my TV because of that radio that he had blaring in there. >> Okay. >> And then I went turned everything off and went and and laid down in my cot and I still couldn't sleep because I could hear the radio blaring in my front room. >> Okay. >> And then I don't know about 8:00 or so I got up to go to the bathroom and I went out there and he had taken the radio out of that area and put it over in the in the bedroom area. And had it blaring. It's still blaring right now. >> Okay. >> And I just I couldn't take it anymore. I just I can't sleep. It's like I'm paying $850 a month for that apartment and I can't sleep. I can't do anything in there because of him. I I'm like a little mouse sneaking around in there closing my doors real softly so that I don't irritate him. >> After hearing David's complaint, the officers transported him to the police station where he sat down with detectives. But even then, David still had more to reveal about why he had shot Chad. For a man who couldn't handle a little TV noise, he sure has a lot to say now. >> About I don't know, about 1:00 or so, Chad came home from wherever he'd been. And come in and he put a radio right against the wall in his kitchen adjacent to my front room. >> Okay. >> And turned the volume up full blast. I have a cord that runs from my TV to earphones. And I so that I don't because I'm kind of hard of hearing, I don't want to bother other people with my sound. And this radio he put there was so loud through the wall that I could just barely hear my TV on the earphones. >> Okay. >> And this is a an ongoing thing with him. You know, just you know, have a bad day and take it out on me by blaring music. Uh he at one point had some bass speakers and he would go and he would just turn them bass speakers up full blast and just blare whatever it was he was playing. And so I finished the that I was watching and went in the little bedroom. So, I've got two bedrooms there, the big bedroom and the little bedroom. The little bedroom is over in the corner. >> Mhm. >> And because I because he's been blaring that in my bedroom, I've been sleeping on a cot in that little bedroom. So, I went in there, got undressed, and got in the cot. And I still couldn't couldn't sleep because I could hear that music even with the doors shut. I could hear that uh I think it was a radio. Uh had like uh I don't know what it was playing. It was uh Oh, let's see. He had uh What is that show uh where they had uh the guy with the train track? And and he was a kid show. >> Mr. Rogers? >> Mr. Rogers. Yes, he had that on. >> Okay. >> And of course, you know, the sound would carry through and I couldn't sleep. And >> What About what time was this? That you >> About 5:00 5:30, I guess. That's when I went went and laid down. And I usually go to bed about 6:00 6:30 7:00. >> Okay. >> And because he had the radio blaring in the front room, I couldn't stay in there because I couldn't sit there. >> And so I went I uh I have a little space heater in there and I turned the space heater on so it's kind of a uh noise from the fan running so it kind of muffled the sound of the radio. >> Mhm. >> And I was just getting to where I was thinking I might be able to nod off and he turned the radio off. And then he took it and he put it in the little bedroom adjacent to my big bedroom and turned it up full blast again. So now it's closer to where I'm trying to sleep. >> Okay. And so he moved it moved it in the house in his house to closer to where you were trying to sleep? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And >> [sighs and gasps] >> I just uh I'm just totally stressed out from him doing this to me on a regular basis. I mean, it's been it's been several months. And he just he goes in spurts and pretty soon I'll think that I think everything's okay and I'll be able to go in and and uh go and sleep in my bedroom and then all of a sudden he'll start blaring music or uh the radio or whatever in there to just to keep me up. >> Okay. >> And uh he's a bully. He just You remember when you came out before, he had pounded on my door, opened my door, and he stood there and slapped me two or three times and started screaming at me and spitting on me. And you and the other officer that was with you said that there was nothing you could do. And >> So So let's let's Yeah, let's stay on track and and you said he's a bully. And so then what's hap- what happened next? >> I just I kind of kind of lost it. I just It's like, what am I going to do? I I called the management company and talked to a girl there, and she said, "Oh, she'd call him." And and well, which when she called him, he turned the music up or the sound up louder than it was before. And he's done this before. When I had called the police and the police had come out and and after they'd leave, he'd turn turn the sound up louder than it was before. >> Okay. Did you call the management company tonight? >> When officers entered Chad's apartment, he was already gone, and they observed gunshot wounds on his body. Meanwhile, inside David's apartment, officers found two notes. In one of them, David wrote, "This has pushed me past my limit. I'm going to kill him and then myself. I can't take anymore." The second document appeared to be a personal letter outlining instructions for accessing his bank accounts and managing his personal property. >> So who's the management company? >> Uh over on 6th Street. All Valley. >> Okay. So you're saying he turned the music up on them? >> No, I mean after after they called >> after they called. Okay. >> And I just couldn't take it anymore. I just I uh got dressed and I went and took my gun and walked over there, knocked or rang his doorbell, and he didn't even bother turning the sound down on this [ __ ] like he normally does when somebody rings the doorbell. And uh came and opened the door and saw that it was me and he grabbed that stick he had there. There's a stick about 6-ft long by I don't know, probably that big round and uh started swatting at me. Hit me in the side of the head with it. >> What was he saying? >> [sighs] >> I don't remember. It was kind of garbled. And then he realized I had the gun in my hand and he kind of backed away a bit and then came at me again. And when he came at me, I shot him. I think I shot him like right in this area in the chest. And uh then I I think I shot him like in the chest area second time and he kept coming at me and so I pulled the gun up and shot him in the head. >> Okay. So, you think the the first shot you like was around in the stomach area? >> Okay. >> But he had such a big stomach that I wasn't sure that it would have done any damage there. And he didn't didn't bleed. It's like >> [clears throat] >> I could see a little bit of blood running out there, but >> So you shot him the first time in the stomach area and and then and then you did what? >> I think I shot him a second time in the stomach area or in the chest. I'm not sure. >> Shot a second time? >> And then he kept coming at me, so I pulled it up and shot him in the head. >> Okay. What do you mean by kept coming at you? >> He kept walking towards me with that stick. >> Okay. And where was Where was the stick when he was walking towards you? Okay. >> In his hand. >> Just in Just had it in his hand? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And I think it was in his right hand and he tried to swing it, but he kept hitting the door with it and and kept trying to hit me with it like he was drawing back and trying to hit me. Yeah, I think he hit me a couple times on the side of the head. Not hard enough to do any damage, but still I was scared and thinking he was going to >> So he didn't hit you very hard with the stick. Okay. And uh um and then and then you you left and then called police? >> After I shot him in the face, yeah. I I walked back over to my place and I fully intended on putting the gun to my head and pulling the trigger, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. >> Why would you have done that? >> I'm 76 years old and spending the rest of my life in prison doesn't sound like a real good deal. >> Yeah. >> David was beginning to understand what he had gotten himself into. In jail, he would constantly hear noises louder than what he claimed Chad's had been doing to him. By the time he had spent days in jail, he would realize that his decision to take Chad's life wasn't the best option. >> So, you went back over to your apartment and and uh did you put the gun inside there? >> Yes, I laid it right inside the door. There's a a cabinet there and I laid it on the on the cabinet. It took me a couple of minutes to get through to 911 and I finally finally called there and talked to the the person there. >> So, you said you said you were going to turn the gun on yourself because you're 76 years old and spending the rest of your life in prison doesn't sound good to you? >> Yeah, it's correct. [clears throat] >> What kind of gun is it, Dave? >> .38 special. >> .38? Do you know what the make and model is? >> Uh Something Island. >> Is it a revolver or a semi-automatic? Revolver. >> It doesn't have a uh thing that you [ __ ] >> Oh, a hammer. So, it's hammerless? Okay. Is that the only firearm you own? >> No, I have a .45 as well. >> Okay. Those are the only two you have in the residence? >> Yes. >> Okay. What kind of .45 do you have? >> Uh I don't remember. Can't remember what it is. Sure. Something. >> Okay. Okay. Do you know where that's located? >> It's in my closet in the bedroom. >> Is it loaded? >> Uh Uh I think there's a uh uh >> Magazine? >> Magazine in it. >> Okay. >> Loaded, but not >> Not one in the barrel? >> Not pushed all the way in. >> Oh, okay. All right. >> Um >> Dave, how come you took a gun over there with you? >> Cuz I was scared of him. >> What was your intentions with that gun? >> I don't know. >> You said earlier you kind of had it. Right? >> And I just I I just Like I said, he he had me wound >> Right. >> so tight that every time he'd turn that radio on, I'd get sick to my stomach. And just shake. I'm just so stressed out living there next to him. >> Mhm. So So like Sergeant Boyd said, so So what made you take the gun over there? >> I just I was scared. >> You're scared of him? >> Yeah. >> Have you ever had a physical altercation with him? >> Yeah. >> Before? >> Yeah. >> That what you described earlier where he slapped you? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And like I said, he's a bully. >> Okay. Any other incidents besides that other one you described where he slapped you? Did things get physical between you two? >> Oh, nothing physical. It's like when I first moved there I had a chair sitting out in front of my place and I'd go out and sit out there and uh have a glass of wine and you know, and sit and relax and he'd come over and stand behind me and talk and smoke pot. And he basically told me that his mother and his sister both had restraining orders against him because he was such an [ __ ] to them. >> Okay. >> And he tried to make it sound like it was their fault. They're crazy. They're They're They're crazy and and you know, it's just And then he wanted me to take him in my car and drive over to his mother's house. And to drive over to his sister's house. And wanted me to go and take him around and do things with him, for him, or whatever. And I told him, you know, I don't have money to be able to just be driving you around. >> Sure. >> And it's like I don't know if you know anything about him, he uh he had his leg shattered a few years ago. And when he was in the hospital, he got some sort of a flesh-eating virus in his leg. And it looked like it had been burned. I don't know. It was just a real strange looking thing. And I didn't want to be that close to him. >> Yeah. >> It's like I didn't mind talking to him and being there, you know, but I didn't want him touching me or anything. I never >> Sure. >> didn't really ever say anything >> Yeah. >> about it. >> So So, Dave, you you said that uh you just had it tonight. >> Yeah. >> Basically last straw. >> I couldn't sleep. >> Couldn't sleep. And so you you got up and you got dressed. You grabbed your gun. You walked over there and rang his doorbell. And he opened the door and then had that stick in his hand. >> And [clears throat] when he saw that it was me, he grabbed that stick. He had it sitting right by the door. He grabbed that stick and started swinging it at me. >> And he said and you said he you thought he hit you around the head. >> The side of the head here. >> Right there? Uh but you said it wasn't very hard, did it hurt? >> Well, it it was so long that he couldn't really get a swing. >> Couldn't really swing it. That makes sense. >> When he tried to swing it, then the bottom of it would hit the door. >> Oh, okay. >> So, it he couldn't really hit me that hard with it. >> Dave, I I got to ask you if when when he did that, why didn't why didn't you just back away and call police? >> I've called the police over and over. >> Each situation each week is >> Every time they say, "Oh, there's nothing we can do." >> Well, each situation is different, right? So, so why didn't you just back away at that point and call the police? >> the aggressor. I was the guy that was at his door. So, what are the police going to do? They're going to arrest me for harassing him. >> Hey Dave, you said you tried to go to bed about 5:30 tonight. I think is what you said. You usually go to bed 5:30, 6, 7. So, between 5:30 and this happened about what, 9:00? Is that right? So, between 5:30 when you tried to go to sleep and 9:00 when you finally had it, what what were you doing? Were you Were you awake the entire time or what? >> Well, let's say I have a cot in the in that little bedroom. >> Right. >> And it's not very comfortable. >> Uh-huh. >> And uh I don't have the blankets and stuff, and I have a little space heater there. >> Right. >> And so I'm just laying there kind of tossing and turning trying to nod off. But I can't because of the noise from the radio. >> Okay. So you're awake the whole time. >> I was laying there. Okay. >> So when you got dressed, um and you grabbed the gun, where did you grab the gun from? >> I had it laying in the bed. >> In the bed with you with you? >> Yes. >> Okay. Do you usually sleep with a gun? >> Yeah. >> Okay. And what's the reason for that? >> For my protection. >> Okay. All right. So you grabbed the gun >> years old. >> Sure. Do you have a holster or anything for your gun or So you grabbed it and you carried it outside with you. Okay. Are you right-handed or left-handed? Right-handed. Okay. You Tell me how you carried the gun when you came outside and went over to his door. >> I just had it in my hand on my side. >> Just down at your side. Okay. And when he answered the door, did you What did you do with the gun? >> I just had it down on my side. >> Okay. >> And then when he started coming at me with the stick, >> Mhm. >> and I pulled the gun up, and he saw that I had the gun, he stepped back a couple of steps, and then came at me with the stick again. >> Okay. >> Like he wasn't afraid of of that gun. >> Okay. Is it a six-shot >> Mhm. revolver? >> Yes. >> Six. Okay. And you think you fired >> three >> three times? Okay. And it wasn't fully loaded? >> Yes. >> Okay. And then you said you fired the first round kind of in the stomach area. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> And then you said like nothing happened. There wasn't any blood. So, you fired again. >> He just went like like somebody had slugged him and then kept coming at me. >> Then >> So, I fired again. And then he kept coming at me and he was kind of like he was kind of like he was drunk and he was and that's when I pulled the gun up and shot him in the face. >> Okay. And >> [clears throat] >> um and you said at the time he just had the stick in his right hand when he came back at you the second time. Okay. Wasn't swinging it. Just had it in his hand. Okay. >> Well, he was trying to like I say he was it was so long it was hard for him to do so much of stuff on the floor there by the door. So, he couldn't get a swing at me. >> Got you. Do you know where you hit him in the face? Where you shot him in the face? >> No. >> What happened when you shot him in the face? >> He backed away and fell down. >> Okay. I've never shot even an animal before. And I was expecting him to you know, do something, but he just fell down and didn't move anymore. >> Yeah. Okay. And where was that? Was that Um, did you ever go inside his his apartment? >> No. >> You stood outside the doorway? Did you guys did you have any words with him? >> You can't talk to the guy. >> So so there was no communication there? >> My intention was to ask him to please turn his music there is his radio down. >> Mhm. >> But when he saw that it was me, he just automatically become aggressive and grabbed stick and started waving. >> That's when he hit you in the head a couple times around the head area a couple times, but it didn't hurt because he couldn't really swing it cuz he was it's so long and it was right there in the doorway. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And you said did >> Once he fell >> After he fell down was motionless then what happened? You you didn't go inside. Correct? >> I kind of looked in there >> Okay. >> to see if he was moving. And he didn't move. So I just figured he was probably dead. >> Okay. And what did you do from there? >> I walked back up to my place went inside got my phone and called 911. >> Okay. >> Despite murdering Chad, detectives expected David to show some remorse, but it turned out to be the opposite. What David would go on to say shows just how hardened his heart had become concerning this issue. A man who kills over noise and still can't find it in himself to say sorry tells you everything you need to know. >> To tell you the truth, I'm relieved that it's over. I just you know, I've been so stressed out for the last several months. >> Sure. >> With the way he's been harassing me. >> So, did did you Did you live there first? >> No. >> He He was there when you moved in. >> Yes. >> And how long have you guys been there together? >> About a year. >> A year? Okay. And how long after you moved in did you start having problems with him? >> I don't know. A couple of months, two or three months. >> Okay. So, about the last 9 months or so, you've been struggling with dealing with him over there? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Do you have a date on when you showed up over there? >> Yeah, we'd be able to look that up. >> Yeah, that's that's about the time that I started really having a lot of problems with him. >> Okay. When you took the pistol over there and you ended up shooting him um >> [clears throat] >> you went back over to your apartment, set the gun down. And you made a comment to me that you thought about shooting yourself. And uh but you couldn't bring yourself to do it because you're 76 years old and didn't want to spend the rest of your life in prison. Did you know at that point you did wrong? >> I don't think I did wrong. >> You don't think you did wrong? >> No. >> Okay. Then what then then why did you >> Like I said, the guy was a bully. >> Right. >> Uh >> So, you don't think you did wrong cuz he's a bully? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And he attacked me. >> But why why would you say you didn't feel like spending the rest of your life in prison? >> Because I figured that's what's going to happen. >> Why is that? >> What other choices there? >> Well, so what he's getting at is you said you know, you you shot him, but you said you didn't think you did anything wrong. But yet you were want wanting to kill yourself. So why kill yourself if you didn't do anything wrong? >> I don't know. >> That's what I'm trying to figure out. >> Like I said, I'm stressed out. I just >> I understand that. I I do. I do daily. I I get it and I think Commander Daniel even gets it that you're stressed out and that you're at your wits' ends. And and that's why you took this harsh, you know, stance that you did. Is that true? >> Yes. >> And so and so what I'm trying to figure out from you and you only you can tell me this is um you you say you're going to spend the rest of your life in prison. Did Did you believe you were wrong in what you did? Even even though he is a bully? Or what's your what's your explanation for that? >> I don't know. I don't have an answer. >> You don't have an answer for that? You you So you just feel that bullies deserve this. Is that what you're saying? >> Pretty much. >> Okay. And that's an honest answer. I appreciate that. I appreciate your honesty on that. I I'm just trying to trying to figure out kind of where you're where you're at, you know. >> David was later charged with first-degree murder, but he later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder with a firearm enhancement and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. David Boyd was ultimately sentenced to 23 years in prison.