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Child custody dispute turned deadly in Lubbock, Texas.
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KCBD
Chad Read’s widow releases video of deadly shooting; Carruth attorney makes case for self-defense
By KCBD Staff
Published: Nov. 24, 2021 at 1:15 PM PST|Updated: Nov. 24, 2021 at 4:30 PM PST
LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – The attorney for Chad Read’s widow released a statement and video of the shooting that killed 54-year-old Chad Read on Nov. 5. Along with the video, the attorney supplied a petition filed on Wednesday showing Jennifer Read, Chad’s widow, is seeking custody of her late husband’s children from their mother.
The news release states, “Jennifer Read, the widow of Chad Read, has filed a Petition today seeking to take custody of Chad Read’s children from their mother, Christina Read. Because the new Lubbock Public Access System makes this information available to the public, and the likelihood of the information contained in her Petition and Affidavit being obtained by the media, she has decided that it is best to simply release the information directly instead of waiting for it to be discovered.”
Jennifer Read and her attorney stated they released the video of “Kyle Carruth’s shooting of her husband” and the affidavit to “speak for themselves.”
On Friday, November 5, Lubbock Police found Chad Read, 54, dead at a home in the 2100 block of 90th street. Police say through the initial course of the investigation, it appears there was a fight between Read and another man related to a domestic incident, and shots were fired.
The mobile phone video, from a vehicle parked in front of the home, shows Chad Read and who appears to be Kyle Carruth arguing outside of the home on 90th Street. Carruth is holding a long-barreled gun. The argument escalates and Carruth fires a shot in the ground towards Read. Read gets more agitated and tries to take the gun. After physical contact with each other, wrestling with the gun, Carruth steps back and fires two shots. Before the shots were fired, the camera moves and video of the shooting is not caught on camera; however shots are audible. When the video pans back towards Read, he is lying motionless on the porch.
KCBD has chosen to edit the video to not show Chad Read’s body after he was shot. The curse words have also been bleeped from the video.
KCBD spoke to Kyle Carruth’s attorney, David Guinn, who says the video “confirms the Lubbock Police’s thorough work reflects this as a justified homicide.”
“When a trespassing Chad Read advanced on Mr. Carruth, who was standing within feet of the front door of his home and office, employees there, Mr. Read said I’ll take your gun and effing kill you with it and then tried to. It was then and only then did that gun get pointed at Mr. Read at the fatal moment,” Carruth’s attorney said. “Mr. Read had every opportunity to leave, to try to escalate the situation. He was threatening to others. Police had been called and he knew that, Mr. Carruth came out the door, the gun pointed in the air and told him to leave. Most people would have.”
“Mr. Read then chose to advance on Mr. Carruth, they were face to face,” Guinn continued. “Mr. Read said he’d take the gun and kill him with it. The gun went off into the patio, that still did not deter Mr. Read, who then grabbed the gun and tried to kill Kyle.”
Guinn says Carruth holds a valid defense under the Castle Doctrine, “to defend himself, others or his property,” and they are looking forward to the Attorney General’s Office investigating and presenting the case to a Lubbock grand jury. Guinn says a grand jury could still indict Carruth, but his hope is “upon careful review of the law, they will not,” but it doesn’t mean he can’t be arrested and charged or convicted later.
“Everyone wishes there could have been an alternative solution and it never would have happened. It’s affecting him too,” Guinn stated. “You know, we’re thinking about that poor 11 year old stepson. And he’s just a kid stuck in the backseat of Chad Read’s truck and Chad chose to drive out to the seven and a half acre property. You know, it’s still playing through Kyle’s mind. And that is not an easy memory for anyone, even if, just because it’s legally right, doesn’t mean it’s not without psychological and practical consequence.”
There have not been any charges filed or arrests made in this case.
Jennifer Read, Chad’s widow, said the following in the affidavit:
“The present circumstances of the children will significantly impair the children’s physical health or emotional development.
“I am the stepmother of the children the subject of this suit. The mother of the children, Christina Read, has endangered the physical health and emotional well-being of the children by permitting them to be in the presence of the man that murdered their father, Chad Read. Chad Read was assaulted by Kyle Carruth, and then murdered by Kyle Carruth, which Chad Read was attempting to pick one of the children from Christina Read for his court-ordered period of possession.
“Christina Read and Kyle Carruth have been engaged in an ongoing affair, despite Kyle Carruth being married. On October 30, 2021, Chad Read informed Christina Read that he had evidence of her affair with Kyle Carruth and that he was going to go public with it. On November 5, 2021, after 4:00 p.m., myself and my minor son were physically present when Chad Read met with Christina Read at Kyle Carruth’s residence at 2100 90th St, Lubbock, Texas. We were there to pick up Chad’s youngest son. Chad was supposed to have custody of the child beginning at 3:15pm, but Christina stated that, she “wanted to see him” as her excuse to why she had not produced the child as ordered by the court at the time required.
“I believe that Christina Read and Kyle Carruth engaged in a conspiracy to assault and/or murder Chad that day.
“The entire interaction took place outside of the residence. While Chad was inquiring about the location of the youngest son, Kyle Carruth went inside the residence. At the moment Kyle Carruth turned to go inside, Christina Read took several steps back away from the door and immediately began recording what I believe to be video with her phone.
“As Chad was declaring that he was preparing to issue subpoenas to bring everyone into Court and expose the affair, Kyle Carruth emerged from the residence. When he emerged from the residence, he had a new sense of self-confidence brandishing a black rifle in a menacing manner and screaming. Chad had not threatened any force, or used any force, against Kyle or Christina that would justify Kyle pulling a firearm on Chad. During this entire interaction, Chad Read was completely unarmed.
“Kyle Carruth then pointed the firearm at Chad’s feet as Chad was slowly walking over to where Kyle was and while they exchanged words. Kyle Carruth then put the firearm to Chad’s side but with the muzzle beyond Chad’s back. The barrel of Kyle Carruth’s firearm was wildly pointing in multiple directions, including at me and at Christina Read while he was bumping chests with Chad and while he was pushing Chad with his chest.
“Kyle Carruth then took a step backwards and fired a single shot at Chad’s feet. Kyle didn’t maintain the barrel at Chad, but instead stood back defiantly with the firearm pointed at the ground off to the side. After being fired upon by Kyle Carruth, Chad attempted to defend himself by keeping the barrel of the firearm from being pointed at him. Kyle Carruth then ran away several steps from Chad, spun around, raised the rifle, and fired two shots into Chad Read.
“Immediately after shooting Chad, Kyle Carruth stood over Chad Read’s dying body and wagged his finger at me and said, “I told all of y’all to leave.” He didn’t say that Chad posed a threat to Christina or any other person. He didn’t attempt to render any aid to Chad, he didn’t maintain the barrel at Chad as though he thought Chad was a threat to him.
“I recorded the shooting on my cell phone. During this entire incident, I didn’t realize that Kyle Carruth was holding and brandishing an actual firearm. At that time, I thought that it was some type of stun-gun or paintball gun. Even when Kyle Carruth fired the shots, the sound was very muffled and not as loud as I now firearms to be. It wasn’t until I got to Chad on the ground that I realized that he had in fact been shot and that the weapon held by Kyle Carruth was a firearm.
“During the assault and murder, Christina Read was calm and didn’t act surprised. She acted as though she knew what the plan was all along. She took no steps to stop Kyle Carruth from murdering Chad. following the assault and murder, Christina Read continued to remain calm, she didn’t react, and she continued to record Chad as he laid there dying. Christina read did not take any steps to render aid to Chad.
“On Monday following the murder, Judge Ann-Marie Carruth the then wife of Kyle Carruth filed an affidavit in their divorce proceedings stating that, “[her] husband, William Kyle Carruth, is under investigation for the shooting and killing of his girlfriend’s children’s father after he attempted to pick up his children…” She also stated in that affidavit that she was, “very concerned about [Kyle Carruth’s] mental state.” I learned this information from an article posted in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal on November 19, 2021.
“Despite Kyle Carruth’s murder of Chad Read, and his mental state, Christina Read has continued to permit Kyle Carruth to be a part of these children’s lives. Christina Read continues to maintain a relationship with Kyle Carruth. Christina Read has continued to permit Kyle Carruth to have unsupervised possession of the youngest child from Lubbock County without supervision, and they are presently in DeLeon, Texas over 3.5 hours away.
“The children are aware that Kyle Carruth shot and killed their father in front of their mother, step-brother, and myself. Christina’s decision to allow either of these children to be in Kyle Carruth’s presence has caused, and continues to cause, significant impairment of their emotional well-being. The oldest child has expressed to me that he blames his mother for the shooting, and that he will run away from home if he sees Kyle there again.
“It is my belief that Kyle Carruth and Christina Read intend to get married as soon as possible, and will likely move in together. I observed the divorce hearing between Kyle Carruth and Judge Anne-Marie Carruth. During that hearing, Kyle Carruth’s concern over the “waiting period” for remarriage when instructed by the Judge. Kyle Carruth’s concern over the ability to remarry quickly causes me to fear that he will have unfettered access to the children of the man he murdered.
“It is in the best interest of the children to be removed from Christina Read, and that her contact with the children be denied or at least restricted. [A child involved] is over the age of 12, and will confer in chambers with the Court to express his desire to reside with me.
“Chad Read and I lived together since November 2020. During that time, the children resided with us off and on over the year, which was greater than six months. While the children were with us, I had actual care, control, and possession of the children. Even prior to us moving in together, I had substantial contact with the children as Chad and I had been dating since April 2020.”
Copyright 2021 KCBD. All rights reserved.
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
What we know about fatal shooting of Chad Read and suspect Kyle Carruth
Chad Read, a 54-year-old Lubbock father, was fatally shot in South Lubbock outside his ex-wife’s house after a confrontation between the former couple and the woman’s boyfriend on Nov. 5.
Court records identified William Kyle Carruth as the man suspected of shooting Read. The affidavit was signed by Judge Anne-Marie Carruth, who filed the document in a counter suit in her divorce from Kyle Carruth.
As of this writing, no charges have been filed in the case. Here’s what we know about the case and those involved:
Christina Read and Chad Read argument tied child custody
Video released by Jennifer Read, the current wife of Chad Read, showed Chad arguing with his ex-wife, Christina Read, over not having one of the former couple’s sons available at a court ordered time.
During the argument, Christina could be heard saying the child was not home and that she was going to fetch him. She also said that she didn’t abide by the court ordered deadline because she wanted to see their son.
“I don’t care if you wanted to see him or not,” Chad Read said. “I get him at 3:15 p.m. If you want to see him, you see him up until 3:15. You keep trying to keep my son from me.”
Chad Read threatened to subpoena multiple people in response, including Kyle Carruth’s ex wife, Judge Anne-Marie Carruth. At that point, Kyle, who previously told Chad to leave the property, emerged from the home with a rifle.
Chad Read and Kyle Carruth argued, struggled over gun
The two can be seen bumping chests as they argue. Chad Read challenged Kyle Carruth to use the weapon.
“Do it,” Read can be heard saying. “You better ******* use it ************.”
The two continue arguing. Jennifer Read, who is filming the altercation from a vehicle, tells someone off camera to call the police. Carruth is seen firing a shot on the ground at Read’s feet.
Read places his hand on the gun, propelling Carruth away from him. Carruth then spins around and fires twice at Read, who could be heard saying, “think I’m ******* scared?”
Video of the Nov. 5 shooting death of Chad Read was released Wednesday by Jennifer Read, who is now seeking custody of her husband’s children.
Video of the Nov. 5 shooting death of Chad Read was released Wednesday by Jennifer Read, who is now seeking custody of her husband’s children.
The camera pans at Read who has dropped on the ground as Jennifer Read calls again for someone to call 911.
Jennifer tells Kyle she has the incident on video.
“You did it, not him,” Jennifer Read says.
Kyle responds, telling her “I told all of y’all to leave.”
“None of you all should be here. I asked you to leave. I did everything … I did not want to do any of this.”
Responding officers arrived to find Chad dead at the scene.
Chad Read’s obituary reveals recent marriage to Jennifer Read
An obituary for Chad Read indicated that he “married the love his life” Jennifer Read on Sept. 4, 2021.
Chad Read was a Lubbock native who graduated from lewisville High School in 1985. The obituary says he was “a true entrepreneur in every sense of the word” and that he returned to Lubbock to raise a family in 2000. The obituary made no mention of his ex-wife Christina Read but indicated he had three children.
A funeral for Read took place on Nov. 12.
Anne-Marie Carruth married Kyle Carruth in 2008, divorced him in 2021
Court filings show that the couple married in September 2009. They separated in July 2021 and Kyle Carruth filed for divorce in September. Their divorce was finalized two weeks after the shooting.
The affidavit, filed on Nov. 8, was filed as part of Anne-Marie Carruth’s counter suit in the couple’s divorce. According to the counter petition, Anne-Marie, a district court judge, was asking the court to exclude her ex-husband from their 9th Street home.
Ann-Marie Carruth
Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Anne-Marie Carruth judge of the 72nd Judicial District Court in Crosby and Lubbock Counties in January 2021 to take over the seat for a term set to expire at the end of 2022.
She stated in the affidavit that she hadn’t spoken to Kyle about the shooting but said she was “very concerned about his mental state.”
Lubbock County District Attorney Sunshine Stanek filed a motion with the AG’s office recusing her office from the case, stating the “suspect is related to a Lubbock County elected official, who is also a potential witness.”
Jennifer Read files petition for children and $50 million wrongful death lawsuit
Through her attorney Anthony Buzbee, Jennifer Read filed a petition alleging that Christina Read has endangered the well-being of two children by allowing them to be in the presence of Kyle Carruth.
“The children are aware that Kyle Carruth shot and killed their father in front of their mother, step-brother, and myself,” Read’s affidavit states. “Christina’s decision to allow either of these children to be in Kyle Carruth’s presence has caused and continues to cause, significant impairment of their emotional well-being. The oldest child has expressed to me that he blames his mother for the shooting and that he will run away from home if he sees Kyle there again.”
Jennifer Read also filed a wrongful death suit against Kyle Carruth on Nov. 29 in District Court. She alleges negligence, civil assault, and intentional infliction of emotional distress and is seeking $50 million in damages.
The document alleges her husband was unarmed at the time, had no history of violence, and that he and his wife Christina “were simply arguing like they had done many times before” but that “this time was different” due to Kyle Carruth’s actions.
The suit alleges an extramarital affair between Christina Read and Kyle Carruth “that resulted in ill will towards Chad Read”, and says that Kyle “needlessly escalated the situation” on Nov. 5.
Kyle Carruth’s lawyers say the shooting was ‘self-defense’
“Every Texan has the right to defend themselves and their property—no one, however, has the right to interject themselves into someone else’s conversation, return and bring a gun to an otherwise nonviolent argument, escalate the argument to violence, creating a violent situation, and then shoot and kill an unarmed man.”
Carruth’s attorney, David M. Guinn with Hurley, Guinn & Singh, has argued that the shooting was self-defense.
“All Texans may lawfully brandish a firearm to protect themselves, their property, and their business,” Guinn said.
Guinn told EverythingLubbock.com that Read threatened to take the gun from Carruth. He also said the manner in which Carruth advanced towards him poised “an immediate threat” to his client.
“This is a justifiable homicide,” Guinn contended.
Texas Attorney General reviewing the shooting
The Texas Attorney General’s Office is reviewing the shooting after Lubbock police officials turned over their files on their investigation.
As of this writing, no charges have been filed in the case.
CBS Austin
Video shows moments leading up to deadly child custody shooting in Texas
LUBBOCK, Texas — A child custody dispute turned deadly in Texas, putting the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law to the test.
Video shows moments leading up to deadly child custody shooting in Texas (CNN Newsource / KABC)
The man who pulled the trigger claimed it was self-defense, but the victim’s wife said the video of the confrontation tells a different story.
Chad Read was attempting to pick up his 9-year-old son from his ex-wife Christina.
Read’s current wife Jennifer captured a video of the altercation from the car.
Kyle Carruth, Christina’s new partner, joins the argument brandishing a rifle.
Carruth shoots at Chad’s feet, that’s when Chad reaches towards the gun and Carruth fires two fatal shots.
So far, no charges have been filed in the case.
Carruth’s attorney David M. Guinn writes in part: “All Texans may lawfully brandish a firearm to protect themselves. Though Read came unarmed, he announced his intent to Kill Kyle Carruth with Kyle’s own gun and took immediate powerful action to do so, which was unsuccessful.”
Jennifer Read’s lawyer believes self-defense does not apply.
According to ABC’s local station, the District Attorney recused their office, and the police department turned the case over to Texas’ Attorney General.
“The Attorney General is going to be looking at justification of ‘Stand Your Ground’, justification was there the threat potentially that Chad could harm Kyle, or get his hands on the weapon, so as a result, Kyle shot him,” says former FBI Agent Brad Garrett.
Jennifer is also fighting to get custody of her husband’s kids.
Referenced Work
- CBS Austin
- Video shows moments leading up to deadly child custody shooting in Texas
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- Video shows moments leading up to deadly child custody shooting in Texas
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