Aquitted cop killer Ray Shetler Jr. remains jailed on $100,000 bond

Ray A. Shetler Jr. remained in jail Sunday after he was acquitted of murdering St. Clair police Officer Lloyd Reed.

Shetler, 33, has been behind bars since Reed was shot and killed as he responded in uniform to a domestic violence call in New Florence on Nov. 28, 2015.

On Friday, a Westmoreland County jury, after six days of testimony and 20 hours of deliberations over two days, found Shetler not guilty of first-degree and third-degree murder in connection with Reed's death.

The jury also acquitted Shetler of simple assault and harassment charges that stemmed from allegations he hit his girlfriend, Kristen Luther, with the brim of a baseball cap — the incident that prompted her to call police to the home they shared.

Shetler, who faced a potential death sentence if he was convicted of first-degree murder, has been jailed without bond since his arrest.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio set a $100,000 bond for Shetler on Friday night after the jury found him guilty of two lesser, misdemeanor counts of theft and receiving stolen property.

Because Shetler faced a potential life sentence or the death penalty, he previously was ineligible for bail. After his acquittal on the murder charges, the judge ruled Shetler can now await a sentencing hearing back at home in New Florence if he is able to post bail.

“He can post bail anytime,” said Westmoreland County Prison Warden John Walton, noting that Shetler remains in general population at the jail. “We haven't had any issues with him.”

Bail is usually posted at the clerk of court's office in the courthouse. The court order setting bail remained at the courthouse Friday. The courthouse was closed over the weekend and will remain so Monday in observance of President's Day, so bail cannot be posted until Tuesday at the earliest, according to Clerk of Courts Bryan Kline.

“If he posts or not that's up to the family. They will have to come up with the money. Otherwise, he will sentenced at some point within 90 days,” defense attorney Marc Daffner said.

The judge told Shetler he faced up to seven years in prison for the theft conviction. Daffner suggested the sentence would be significantly shorter, noting that Shetler already served more than two years in jail since his arrest.

Shetler's family said Friday night they believed he would return home soon and said they will attempt to find the money needed for bail.

Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck argued Friday night for a substantial bail for Shetler.

“He did attempt to flee. He is a flight risk,” Peck said.

The charges that are currently holding Shetler in custody involve crimes related to a truck he stole on the property of the Conemaugh Generating Plant as he attempted to flee the area following the shooting. Police found Shetler after a six-hour manhunt.

Shetler testified at the trial he swam across the Conemaugh River and hid his high-powered hunting rifle used in the shooting, as well as clothes and ammunition, in a ditch near the power plant's property.

Shetler's acquittal of the murder charges came after he claimed during the trial that he acted in self defense. Shetler, one of five defense witnesses to testify, claimed Reed didn't identify himself as a police officer and was first to open fire.

Evidence at the trial revealed Reed, 54, of Hollsopple, Somerset County, fired six shots and Seward police Officer Justin Dickert fired once during the gun battle. Shetler was hit in the shoulder with one shot.

Reed was hit one time under his left arm in an area not protected by his bullet-proof vest.

Shetler maintained he returned fire at Reed because he didn't know the identity of the armed man who approached him in the dark in his front yard and why he was being shot at.

Luther testified she knew Reed was a police officer but that he fired at Shetler after he raised his arms to surrender.

Should he be released on bail, Shetler could return to the Ligonier Street home in New Florence he shared with Luther for 11 months.

During her testimony for the defense, Peck confronted Luther with a copy of a Facebook posting she made in September in which she said she would marry Shetler if he is acquitted of the murder charges.

When asked Friday after the jury verdict was announced if she still planned to marry Shetler, Luther responded: “We'll see. It's been a long two years.”

Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-830-6293 or rcholodofsky@tribweb.com.