Londonderry man claims deadly shooting was mix-up, pleads not guilty
Nov. 24—BRENTWOOD — An attorney for 23-year-old Justin Best said Wednesday in court that the deadly shooting her client has been linked to was "a true accident."
On Monday night, investigators discovered Tyler Andrews, 24, in the hallway of an apartment building at 27 Linlew Drive, Derry. He had been shot in the stomach, police said, and later died at Elliot Hospital in Manchester.
About 20 minutes after police received an initial 911 call about the incident, Best reached out to police admitting that he was involved, according to Assistant County Attorney Jill Cook.
Cook said the defendant was arrested at his home in Londonderry for reckless conduct.
Best will remain in police custody, a judge decided Wednesday, but the results of a pre-trial screening could lead to his release with strict requirements before trial.
His court-appointed attorney, Deanna Campbell, said Best is a Londonderry High School graduate who lives with his father and worked as a bagger at a supermarket.
She said he is diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, a developmental disorder on the autism spectrum that affects his ability to communicate and socialize.
Best is a client at the Center for Life Management, where he is treated for anxiety and depression, his attorney said.
Campbell went on to explain that in this situation, the gun discharged after Best's arm was bumped in a scuffle.
"He cooperated with police and relinquished his firearm," she noted.
She said his criminal history is minimal, including a disorderly conduct arrest when he was 18.
"Holding Mr. Best in jail until these matters resolve is not going to further anyone's interests," Campbell said. "And it's certainly not going to bring the alleged victim back to his family."
Another court date was not immediately set.
