The man accused of murdering his neighbor in a shooting in Nordland will claim he acted in self defense, his lawyer said Monday in Jefferson County Superior Court.

John Paul Beckmeyer, 59, allegedly shot and killed James McDonald, 24, during a barbecue Aug. 26.

Witnesses said the shooting occurred after Beckmeyer told his girlfriend to turn down a loud radio during the barbecue and she didn’t, according to court documents. Beckmeyer then allegedly hit the woman in the face, prompting others at the gathering to come to her defense, and Beckmeyer retreated to a nearby fifth-wheel trailer where he was living, threatening to get a gun. He then started shooting out the window of the trailer, hitting McDonald twice in the chest.

Beckmeyer was arrested shortly after the shooting and made his second appearance in court Monday, by video, where it was announced he will face one charge of either first- or second-degree murder, as well as several charges of assault. 

Beckmeyer, who is being held in the Jefferson County Jail, made his first court appearance Aug. 27, also by video.

During his charging hearing Monday, Superior Court Judge Keith Harper said the conditions of Beckmeyer’s release and bail would be the same as originally decided in his prior appearance. 

Bail was initially set at $200,000, and Harper said Beckmeyer could not have any contact with witnesses, use drugs or alcohol, possess weapons, or visit the scene of the alleged offenses.

He must also appear in court as directed, Harper said.

Beckmeyer’s attorney said Monday they were ready to proceed to arraignment and intend to plead not guilty to all charges, including the single count of assault against his girlfriend, which he denies doing. He will claim self defense on the murder charge. 

MULTIPLE CHARGES

Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Christopher Ashcraft said probable cause exists to believe Beckmeyer committed the crime of either first-degree murder (armed with a firearm) or second-degree murder (armed with a firearm), as well as two charges of first-degree assault (armed with firearm, domestic violence) and one charge of fourth-degree assault (domestic violence, first offense). 

First-degree murder carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a $50,000 fine upon conviction, plus
60 additional months if Beckmeyer is found to have been armed with a firearm at the time of the crime. 

First-degree assault carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and/or a $50,000 fine, as well as potential additional jail time if the perpetrator is found to have been armed with a gun at the time. 

Fourth-degree assault carries a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Beckmeyer’s next court appearance is slated for Friday, Sept. 4, at which point he must verify any weapons he owns have been turned over to authorities. 

Then, an omnibus hearing is set for the morning of Sept. 25, with a pretrial hearing Oct. 16. 

The trial is scheduled to begin
Oct. 26.

ARGUMENT TURNS DEADLY

In addition to murdering McDonald, Beckmeyer allegedly assaulted his own girlfriend and another woman who police said once lived with McDonald in the trailer where Beckmeyer and his girlfriend now live.

The woman and McDonald had moved out of the motorhome, according to court documents, and were living with her relative in the main house on the property on Griffith Point Road.

Police were called to the property just after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26 after a woman called 911 and said a man had been shot in the chest.

Deputies from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, along with officers from the Port Townsend Police Department, immediately responded and found Beckmeyer with a gun inside his fifth-wheel trailer.

Officers also saw McDonald with gunshot wounds on the ground outside the trailer. Paramedics confirmed he was dead.

According to court documents, the group had been barbecuing in an area between the fifth-wheel trailer and another motorhome. Beckmeyer told his girlfriend to turn down a nearby radio, which she refused to do. He then struck her in the face, which resulted in an argument between Beckmeyer and McDonald and the second woman, both of whom admonished Beckmeyer for striking a woman. 

Beckmeyer then allegedly got up and went into his trailer, telling the group he was going to get his .45 caliber pistol.

McDonald, meanwhile, walked to the house and came back a few minutes later holding an open double-barrel shotgun. He stood near Beckmeyer’s girlfriend and the other person at the barbecue.

Beckmeyer then started shooting out an open bedroom window from inside the fifth-wheel with a .22 caliber pistol, hitting McDonald twice in the chest.

McDonald was reportedly starting to walk away when he collapsed.

A COMMUNITY DANGER

Police found multiple bullet holes in the motorhome that was parked across from the fifth-wheel trailer during the investigation, according to a supplemental report by Detective Art Frank that was submitted to the court Monday. 

Police immediately recovered Beckmeyer’s Ruger .22 semi-automatic pistol and also found a .45 caliber pistol in the fifth-wheel trailer. 

In his report, Frank said Beckmeyer had shot the Ruger .22 semi-automatic pistol until it was empty.

The pistol magazine had a capacity of 10 rounds, according to the report, and seven bullet holes were found in the motorhome. Two rounds were removed from the victim’s body during an autopsy at the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.

After police arrived at the scene, paramedics from East Jefferson Fire Rescue took Beckmeyer to Jefferson Healthcare when he claimed he could not stand up due to an earlier neck and back injury.

He was ultimately cleared at the hospital and taken into custody by the sheriff’s office, interviewed, and booked into jail.

During his first court appearance, Beckmeyer said he did not have money for a private attorney and asked for a public defender.

Ashcraft said Beckmeyer has only lived in the area for several years, and had been living on property owned by another family member.

Beckmeyer has lived in other states and also had a previous assault conviction in Coos Bay, Oregon, Ashcraft added. During both of Beckmeyer’s initial court appearances, the prosecutor insisted he believed the man to be “a danger to the community.”

Leader writer Brian Kelly contributed to this report.