Eldred man pleads guilty but mentally ill in 2014 fatal shootings, sentenced to 2 life terms

Aug. 31--For whatever reason, Garry Flyte did not seek or could not get psychiatric help, when hearing the voices he said were in his head, before it was too late, when those voices told him the family living next door was out to harm him.

On March 19, 2014, Flyte, 56, took his shotgun, went next door, fatally shot Jeffrey Place, 54, and fatally wounded Place's stepson, Steven Powell, 30, and the family's dog. Flyte tried unsuccessfully to also shoot Place's wife and Powell's mother, Wendy Place.

After the shootings, Flyte went back to his house, called 911, said he had shot his neighbors and was still on scene when state police arrived.

"I can't forgive you for what you've done to our family," a tearful Charles Powell Jr., Powell's father, told Flyte shortly before Flyte was sentenced Monday to two consecutive life-without-parole terms in state prison.

Flyte had pleaded guilty but mentally ill to two first-degree-murder counts, one for each human victim killed. In return for his pleas on both counts, the other charges of cruelty to an animal, for shooting the dog, and attempted murder, for trying to shoot Wendy Place, were dismissed.

"Steve was a good kid," Charles Powell told Flyte, who looked back at him as the rest of Steven Powell's and Jeffrey Place's relatives sat listening in tears. "He was an inspiration to all of us. He and Jeff were both great people. You couldn't ask for better. I hate that they were taken away from us the way they were. Only God can forgive you. May He have mercy on your soul."

Lawrence Edwards, Wendy Place's brother and Steven Powell's uncle, described Powell as always having "the happiest smile" and helping the family whenever and however he could. Edwards called Jeffrey Place "more of a brother than a brother-in-law."

He said the murders occurred just eight days after he and Wendy Place lost their parents, compounding an already tragic time for the family.

"What you did was the worst thing anyone could ever do," he told Flyte. "It's just not right. My sister's hell began on March 19, 2014. Your hell is about to start."

When each of the victims' relatives addressed him, Flyte responded, saying what others heard as "I'm sorry" or "I didn't know what I was doing." He had nothing to say to the court when given the chance to do so before being sentenced.

"Prior to today's sentencing, what I've heard him say over and over again is that he doesn't understand how this happened," said County Public Defender James Gregor, who with attorney Michelle Polato represented Flyte.

The sentencing came shortly after a hearing held to determine if Flyte's actions, before, during and after the murders, meet the definition of mental illness, as opposed to that of insanity.

Insanity is someone not knowing their actions are wrong or not viewing those actions as wrong, said County Assistant District Attorney Curtis Rogers, who with fellow assistant district attorney Matthew Bernal prosecuted Flyte. Mental illness is someone not being in their normal state of mind when committing acts they know are wrong, for which they express remorse upon realizing they've committed those acts, said Rogers.

"Insanity excuses actions while mental illness explains but doesn't excuse those actions," Rogers said.

This means an accused killer deemed insane can be sent to an institution, he said. On the other hand, a killer, found guilty but mentally ill, can be sentenced to prison and ordered to undergo whatever treatment is available as part of their sentence.

At Flyte's pre-sentencing hearing, psychiatrists Stephen Mechanick for the prosecution and Elliott Atkins for the defense both testified Flyte, while not insane, was not in his normal state of mind during the murders. This is evidenced by Flyte's remorse at knowing what he did is wrong, which is why he called 911 after the murders, according to both psychiatrists.

Mechanick doesn't know to what extent Flyte's reported history of alcoholism and drug use contributed, if at all, to the voices in his head and the belief that neighbors were trespassing on his property and spying on him. He said Flyte's illness could very well predate his drug and alcohol use.

Mechanick and Atkins agreed Flyte, who is normally nonviolent and non-aggressive, is not a danger to himself or others as long as he stays on prescribed medication.

"This case speaks to the tragedy of the lack of treatment, or even acknowledgment, of mental illness in our area," President Judge Margherita Patti Worthington said when imposing sentence. "It's a tragedy compounded when a mentally ill person commits such a horrific crime causing such pain and loss to others."

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