Lake Wales, Florida – A Lake Wales man, Kolby Shepherd, is facing Burglary with Battery charges after he allegedly struck another man with a whip near Lake Rosalie in Lake Wales on 05/12/2019. According to a Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavit an incident occurred between Dewey Carnley Jr., Kolby Shepherd & Kyle Shepherd. Shortly after the incident deputies arrested Kyle Shepard, the brother of Kolby Shepherd, for Attempted Second Degree Murder.
According to reports, Dewey Carnley Jr. was in his back yard shooting at around 8pm on the night of Friday 11,2019, and was confronted by a neighbor, Kolby Shepherd, who told him to not shoot in the park. Dewey informed him that he was only shooting a water moccasin.
Later during the PCSO investigation they did located a dead water snake in the yard. According to reports it was left at that. Then at approximately 2:50am Sunday May 12, 2019, Dewey was out shooting again on his back porch. Kolby Shepherd and his brother Kyle Shepherd went to confront Dewey Jr. again.
During a recorded Post Miranda interview, Kyle Shepherd (co-defendant) allegedly stated that he and his brother (Kolby) had been drinking alcohol at the fish camp and had just returned from the store when they heard more shots being fired. He stated that Kolby grabbed a leather whip type object and was going to go and confront Dewey. Kyle, not wanting his brother to confront an armed subject without protection, removed his AK-47 rifle from his truck and followed his brother over to the patio Dewey Jr’s was shooting. One thing led to another and according to reports, Dewey Jr. shot Kolby for apparently striking him with the whip, Kyle shot Dewey Jr. and also his brother Kolby while retaliating for Dewey Jr. shooting Kolby.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office estimates that Kyle Shepherd fired approximately 20-25 rounds.
According to the affidavit, Dewey Carnley Jr. was interviewed a few days after the incident, after receiving medical attention at the Osceola Regional Medical Center. During the interview Dewey advised that he was alone on the back patio when Kolby walked up from the back yard carrying some sort of stick or whip. He saw a second suspect (Kyle) in the yard holding a rifle. As Kolby approached him he allegedly was struck on the side of the face with the “whip”, As he was struggling to maintain his balance and consciousness he allegedly observed both suspects moving towards him. In fear for his safety he removed the pistol from his holster and fired several shots striking Kolby and sending him stumbling off of the patio deck. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office the “whip” was later recovered. It appears to be the lower half of a coach whip. It was four foot long, ridged, and wrapped in black leather. “Whip” marks were observed and photographed at the hospital.
Kyle is charged with attempted second degree murder. Dewey and Kolby are recovering from gunshot wounds. Kolby Shepherd is being charged with Burglary with Battery for allegedly having unlawfully entered the patio/deck area of the residence and while inside the curtilage of the residence he used the “whip” to batter the victim against his will.
