17-year-old Rhyder Tettleton who was charged with manslaughter of his younger brother has taken a plea deal according to court documents.
TOMBALL, Texas — A Houston-area teenager charged in the shooting death of his younger brother has taken a plea deal, according to court documents.
Rhyder Tettleton was originally charged with manslaughter for an incident that occurred on Nov. 25. That night, Tettleton, his brother, and several friends were drinking alcohol and handling firearms in a barn located in the Stone Lake neighborhood off the Grand Parkway, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators say Tettleton pointed a gun, which he believed was unloaded, at the chest of his 16-year-old brother and pulled the trigger. The younger brother was pronounced dead at the scene.
Their parents were not home at the time of the shooting.
According to authorities, Tettleton initially told his friends to lie and claim someone else had fired the gun. He later admitted to being responsible. Investigators said he also asked the other teens to help hide the gun and shell casings.
He was charged with manslaughter after prosecutors said Tettleton did not believe the gun was loaded.
Under the plea agreement, his charge has been reduced to criminally negligent homicide. He was sentenced to four years of community supervision and must complete a gun safety class along with other court-ordered conditions.