| Man who shot neighbor
guilty of manslaughter
By David Hedges, Publisher
Times Record-Roane County Reporter
 A Mason County jury bypassed possible verdicts involving 1st and 2nd degree murder on their way to finding a Spencer man guilty of voluntary manslaughter for shooting his neighbor.
Dreu Ferguson Jr., 30, who remains in jail without bond, will be facing up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced. A post-trial hearing is set for Dec. 4.
Ferguson has been in jail for more than three years, since June 2003, following his arrest in connection with the shooting death of William Freas III.
Police said Freas was shot just before noon while sitting on his front porch on Beauty Street. Ferguson suspected Freas was involved in a theft from Ferguson's home.
Ferguson testified in his own defense and admitted to shooting Freas, although he said he did not mean to do it.
"It was no accident," said prosecuting attorney Mark Sergent. "He armed himself and went to his neighbor's house with the intent to kill."
Court-appointed defense attorneys Teresa Monk and Drew Patton presented evidence that Ferguson suffered from mental illness that prevented him from forming the intent to kill, and offered testimony from two mental health experts and Ferguson's mother.
Sergent called a psychiatrist to rebut the defense witnesses.
The defense also claimed Ferguson did not intend to kill Freas, but only wanted to scare him with the gun.
Evidence from investigators with the State Police crime lab indicated the gun was fired twice.
Freas was killed by a single bullet wound to the chest fired at close range, state medical examiner Dr. Zia Sabet said ...
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