An Athens man accused of fatally shooting another man at an auto repair shop in 2015 will likely be tried the week of Nov. 18 in Limestone County, an official said.

Randall James Townsend, 25, of 936 Steeplechase Drive, is charged with felony murder in the fatal shooting of Zachori Keith Blackwell, 24, at Xtreme Performance repair shop on York Lane.

Limestone County District Attorney Brian Jones told The News Courier on Thursday the Townsend case had been No. 2 on his trial list, second to the case of Justin Blake Romine, 39, of 14726 Evans Road, Athens, who is charged with multiple counts of possession of child pornography. However, the Townsend case will likely come first because experts in the Romine case are not finished with trial preparations, Jones said.

On Aug. 17, 2016, the Limestone County grand jury indicted Romine on nine counts of child porn possession, court records show. The crimes were believed to have occurred Sept. 2, 2014. Romine remains free on a $5,000 property bond pending his trial.

Subpoenas in the Townsend case have already been issued, and jury selection is expected to begin Nov. 18 in Limestone County Circuit Court. Judge Robert Baker is scheduled to preside at both the Townsend and Romine trials.

Townsend case

According to court records in the Townsend case, Limestone County sheriff’s deputies were called to the auto repair shop shortly after 5 a.m. Dec. 15, 2015. There, they found a gathering of people and Blackwell shot. Witnesses told investigators an intoxicated Blackwell had been arguing with his wife and struck her. They also said he struck and pushed two other people.

Witnesses said others at the party then advised Townsend to use his truck to block the gate to the property to prevent Blackwell from leaving in an intoxicated state. Townsend complied, and Blackwell shoved him to the ground. After returning to his feet, Townsend pulled a gun from the front pocket of his hooded sweatshirt and fired seven rounds at Blackwell, striking him five times, including three times in the back, witnesses said.

Townsend, who has retained Athens attorney Harlan Mitchell to represent him, remains free on a $250,000 bond pending his trial.

Unless Townsend’s case is settled before the Nov. 18 trial week, the trial will likely bump the trial for William “Greg” Miller, 58, of 513 S. Beaty St., Athens, who is accused of stealing $107,554 from Habitat for Humanity while serving as its executive director.

Jones said last week he hoped to try Miller’s case the week of Nov. 18. It has been pending since 2014. He said it now appears that case will be continued unless Miller accepts a plea agreement.

Once the Townsend case is resolved, either through trial or a plea agreement, Jones said he will line up the rest of the felony murder cases pending in Limestone County for 2020. Then, he will turn his attention to the capital murder cases pending for 2020.

“After Christmas, I will get together with the capital murder victims’ families, some of whom live out of state, and try to line up those cases and let the family members know what is expected,” Jones said.