Two accused of attempted murder for shooting into houses

Two men accused of shooting into the home of a Dewey Beach Police officer have pleaded not guilty to attempted first-degree murder charges.

Laurel resident David Watson and Delmar, Md., resident Orrin Joudrey were arrested Jan. 2 and charged with attempted first-degree murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, reckless endangering, conspiracy and other charges.

Watson, 24, was arraigned Jan. 24 in Sussex County Superior Court.  He pleaded not guilty to the charges and requested a jury trial, which has not yet been scheduled.

Joudrey, 20, was arraigned Feb. 21; he also pleaded not guilty.

According to an affidavit written by Delaware State Police Det. Stephen Kelly, police were called to the officer’s home in Laurel, Dec. 27.  When state police arrived, the victim showed them bullet holes in his daughter’s bedroom, Kelly wrote.

Kelly said the bullet went through the bedroom window, then through the victim’s daughter’s bedroom and into the hallway.  “The bullet continued through a wooden piece of furniture, where the bullet was then found resting on the floor, approximately five feet away from the victim’s bed in the adjacent bedroom,” he wrote.

Another bullet was shot through the side of the house and into the roof of a bedroom, Kelly said.  “A third and final bullet struck the base of the brick chimney located along the same side as victim’s daughter’s bedroom,” he wrote.

According to the affidavit, the victim was a stranger to Watson and Joudrey, and no one was harmed during the shooting.  The victim’s Dewey Beach Police vehicle was parked in the driveway.

Four days later, police pulled over Joudrey, who was driving a 2006 Mercury Mariner, in Laurel, suspecting he was driving under the influence.  Kelly said police searched the vehicle and found rifle ammunition, shotgun rounds and camouflage face paint.

Hours later, Joudrey was interviewed by a detective at Troop 5 in Bridgeville.  “Joudrey stated that he and David Watson shot at four houses,” Kelly wrote.  Over the course of two weeks, Joudrey said he and Watson shot at three homes in Maryland, all belonging to police officers.

Watson was driving when Joudrey shot at the home of the Dewey police officer, Kelly wrote.  “Orrin stated that they were shooting at the residences because they wanted to scare the police officers,” he said.

Joudrey also told police he had been staying at Watson’s home for several days.  Watson was on probation before the shooting for first-degree robbery and other charges from 2011, and he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Police found a video on Joudrey’s cell phone of Watson firing a pistol-grip style shotgun in the backyard of his home.

Kelly said police then arrested Watson and searched his home on County Seat Highway; they found the shotgun from the video, which contained live and spent rounds, as well as 12-gauge ammunition and a rifle that would hold the ammunition found in Joudrey’s car.

Joudrey and Watson both were committed to Sussex Correctional Institution, Joudrey on $320,500 cash bail; Watson's bail was set at $330,500.

The affidavit says Watson was employed by Laurel High School at the time of his arrest.  Representatives of Laurel School District said Watson is not an employee.

Watson is scheduled to appear in court Thursday, March 7, for a case review.  Joudrey is scheduled for a case review Monday, March 18.