A 19-year-old is accused of killing his stepfather. He says it was self-defense

PAYETTE (Idaho Statesman) — The Idaho 19-year-old accused of killing his stepfather said he “never intended on shooting” him, according to court records.

Michael Dudley, of Nampa, is facing a felony charge of first-degree murder after the Payette County Prosecutor’s Office alleged that he shot and killed his stepfather, identified as Howard Schofield IV, on Sept. 18 at his home in New Plymouth.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Dudley and his girlfriend paid his stepfather $2,250 to remodel their trailer but nothing was being done. They didn’t have a working bathroom or shower, his girlfriend told law enforcement.

So Dudley called his mother, telling her he was going “to need some compensation for there being no work done,” the affidavit said. He and his girlfriend planned to go to his mother’s house to take some items as payment, which he said his mother agreed to, according to the affidavit.

But prosecutors have alleged Dudley instead committed burglary. And under state law someone can be charged with first-degree murder even if they didn’t intend to kill someone if they were in the process of committing another felony like burglary.

On Sept. 18, Dudley and his girlfriend went to the house and, while Dudley was collecting items like their TV and some of Schofield’s tools, the affidavit said, Schofield “started getting mad and argumentative,” accusing Dudley of stealing.

The pair began arguing, and the incident escalated into a physical fight. Dudley alleged that Schofield began hitting him and landed on top of him while Dudley’s hand was in the front pocket of his sweatshirt, where he had the gun. It “went off,” according to the affidavit.

Dudley “stated that he never pulled the trigger and that he never intended on shooting” his stepfather, according to the affidavit, which added that he said he was acting in self-defense.

Schofield, 47, died from his injuries at the scene. When Dudley’s girlfriend was asked by law enforcement to describe what occurred, she said she didn’t see what happened but heard Dudley say “don’t you hit me,” and “get the f— off of me,” according to the affidavit.

And when law enforcement asked the girlfriend what she thought was going to happen when they arrived at the house, she said Dudley mentioned that he was going to shoot Schofield in the foot “to make him jump and work,” but added that she never thought he was going to do that and Dudley admitted it was “a stupid idea.”