A grand jury has indicted Matthew Lanthram, 17, of Ashburn, on charges related to the shooting death of 15-year-old Donald "Nicholas" Shomaker in March.
The jury handed down a seven-count indictment on Monday and served it to him on Tuesday, court records show. He has been ordered to appear in Circuit Court to enter a plea on Aug. 4.
Commonwealth Attorney James Plowman announced earlier this month that he will dismiss one count of murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony in exchange for Lanthram's guilty plea to seven felony charges, including involuntary manslaughter and possession of guns, drugs and stolen property. Lanthram has been charged as an adult even though he is not 18.
Police said the March 22 shooting occurred at the Ashburn home that Lanthram shared with his grandparents. Police found four guns, a sawed-off shotgun, a half pound of marijuana, a half-pound of psychedelic mushrooms, seven grams of cocaine and $1,700 in cash at the house.
Police initially charged him with involuntary manslaughter, then raised the charge to murder. Then Plowman said the evidence only points to an accident, and once again he faces a charge of involuntary manslaughter.
The grand jury, in concurrence with the plea agreement, indicted Lanthram on: involuntary manslaughter, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute psychedelic mushrooms, possession of cocaine, possession of a sawed-off shot gun, possession of firearms while in possession of narcotics, and receiving stolen property.
<1b>— Andrea Zentz