Big Lake shooting death sparked by argument in pickup

Larry Mayo, 53, was jailed early Saturday for allegedly killing Christopher Inman, 26.

Mayo and a passenger were in his Ford pickup on Victor Road about 11 p.m. Friday when they met another Ford pickup, driven by Wyatt Metro, heading the opposite direction with Inman riding in the passenger seat, according to a charging document.

The pickups stopped, and Inman hopped out and got into Mayo's vehicle, the charges say.

Inman and Mayo started arguing -- it's unclear why, troopers said -- and a female passenger in Metro's pickup tried to intervene, to no avail. Mayo's passenger told troopers he then saw Mayo and Inman fighting over a handgun. The passenger grabbed the gun and put it away, but both Inman and Mayo jumped out of the pickup and ran to its rear moments later, the charges say.

Metro's passenger "stated she saw Mayo shoot Inman with a handgun, and then observed Inman stagger back, grab his chest, and observed blood spurting from his chest," the charges say.

Inman made it back to Metro's pickup, and Metro drove several hundred feet down the road, where he dialed 911 on a cell phone. A troopers spokesman said it was difficult for medics to determine the location of the shooting, so Metro drove Inman to the Big Lake Super Store, where Inman was pronounced dead.

Meantime, Mayo's pickup had become stuck. He and his passenger walked about a quarter-mile to a third man's house and tried to start another of Mayo's vehicles. They were unsuccessful and eventually asked for a ride from the third man. Mayo told the man he'd been run off the road by two men brandishing guns, the charges say.

The three drove toward the scene of the shooting to talk to troopers. Mayo admitted to the investigators he'd gotten into an argument with Inman, but Mayo said the gun went off while they were fighting over it. Mayo told troopers he did not remember his passenger taking the gun away, the charges say.

Mayo was arrested and charged with one count of second-degree murder. He remained in custody Tuesday on $325,000 bail, according to court records.

Reach Casey Grove at casey.grove@adn.com or 257-4589.