Tyler Chase Butler is an accused killer from Virginia who has been charged in the murder of Michael Bosworth Jr
According to police reports Tyler Chase Butler would tell officers he thought three teens were attempting to break into his home when he opened fire killing eighteen year old Michael Bosworth Jr.
However Michael Bosworth Jr friends would tell officers that they were filming a late night prank video for TikTok where they basically rang the doorbell and ran. One of the teens would show officers a video showing them pulling the same prank earlier in the night
Tyler Chase Butler would be charged with second degree murder, malicious wounding and use of a firearm in commission of a felony
Tyler Chase Butler News
A homeowner was arrested on a murder charge after authorities say he shot and killed an 18-year-old in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. The teen’s friends told investigators the man opened fire as they recorded a prank overnight for a TikTok video.
Tyler Chase Butler, 27, was arrested and accused of second-degree murder, malicious wounding and use of a firearm in commission of a felony, the county sheriff’s office said Tuesday.
Butler is accused of killing Michael Bosworth Jr., a senior at Massaponax High School. He played lacrosse and football, and wrestled, his heartbroken stepfather told News4.
As News4 reported after the shooting at about 3 a.m. Saturday, the homeowner told investigators Bosworth and two other teens were trying to break into his home on McKenzie Lane. The sheriff’s office received a call about a residential burglary in progress in which a resident had fired shots. Bosworth was taken to a hospital, where he died.
One of the other teens, who was grazed by a bullet, told detectives they weren’t breaking in to steal anything. The teen said they were recording ding-dong ditch pranks for TikTok videos – ringing doorbells and then running away.
A detective tracked down the third teen, who was not shot. That teen gave the same account and offered their phone to show a similar video shot earlier that night.
Bosworth was shot hours before his school’s prom.
Butler was being held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail. Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact the sheriff’s office.
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The Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) have arrested the man who allegedly shot and killed the Massaponax High School senior during a reported attempted home burglary, charging him with 2nd degree murder, malicious wounding, and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Tyler Chase Butler, 27, is now being held at Rappahannock Regional Jail on no bond.
According to detectives, deputies responded to a call on the 2700 block of McKenzie Lane in Fredericksburg, Va., at around 3 a.m. Saturday, May 3, of an alleged attempted home burglary in progress that ended with the resident shooting at the three people involved.
Michael Bosworth, Jr., 18, was taken to Mary Washington Hospital, where he died.
A juvenile was also shot and taken to the same hospital, but had minor injuries. A second juvenile was not hurt.
Captain Charles Carey with the sheriff’s office confirmed to 7News that the initial 911 call reported three individuals had allegedly attempted to break into the home by kicking in the back door.
7News On Your Side obtained the search warrant for both of the surviving juveniles’ cell phones.
These court documents revealed one of the juveniles telling detectives the three of them were playing a prank called “ding dong ditch,” where they would ring doorbells and run away in hopes of the resident answering the door with nobody there.
That juvenile stated they had done this at a few homes, took at least one video of them carrying out the prank, and were planning to post their videos on TikTok as part of a social media trend.
After trying to do this prank at the home where Tyler Chase Butler lives, the juvenile told detectives they ran and were trying to hide at the time the shooting began.
Both surviving juveniles were read Miranda Warnings, but neither have been charged at this time.
Massaponax High School Principal Dr. William Lancaster III sent a letter to families after the shooting, informing them of Bosworth’s death and that counseling resources would be made available to students.