Trumann fireman killed after forcing his way into wrong home

Todd Short (left) is pictured with Trumann Fire Capt. Richard Mabe. (photo provided)

"Alcohol definitely was the factor," Chief Larry Blagg said. "From what we can gather, earlier in the night he and his wife had a few words and he had been drinking."

Blagg said police were called to 220 Cypress Drive around 12:45 a.m. Saturday and found Todd Short, 34, lying in the car port near the threshold of the residence dead from an apparent shot to the chest from a shotgun.

Short had apparently been drinking at some point during the night and got in to an argument with his wife at their home, Blagg said.

Short's wife, Michelle, called a family friend, Barry Barber, who came and took her to his residence which is located a few houses down at 244 Cypress Drive.

Blagg said Short went looking for his wife and instead mistakenly went to the home of Jimmy Hand at 220 Cypress Drive thinking it was Barber's.

"The houses are all cookie cutter and look alike," Blagg said. "Apparently he thought he was going to 244 Cypress and misjudged the houses by five or six houses."

Blagg said Short began beating on the front door demanding Barry come to the door.

Short then went to the back of the house and tried to force his way in. Hand's wife, Sheila, called 911.

"He was kind of out of his mind demanding to see Barry," Blagg said. "Todd had blood on his hands and looked like he had been hitting something. He couldn't get him to calm down and he charged at Mr. Hand, the owner of the house."

Hand backed up all the way to the kitchen then shot Short once with a 12-gauge pump action shotgun, Blagg said.

"Todd backed him all the way up to the dining area and when Todd entered the house that's when he took the shot," Blagg said. "(Hand) told us he just charged him like he was going to go right through him. He was coming in no matter what he said. His wife said she didn't see him fire the shot, but saw her husband just keep backing up toward the kitchen sink."

Detective Eric Willbanks displays the 12 gauge shotgun used in the shooting death of a Trumann fireman Saturday morning. (Democrat photo/Mark Randall) [Click to enlarge]

Short was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 1 a.m. by Poinsett County Coroner Deb Smith.

Police contacted the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation to assist in the investigation.

"We called the State Police to come in and make sure it would look fair to both sides because he was a city employee," Blagg said.

Short's body was sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for an autopsy.

Blagg said the incident looks like a justifiable homicide.

"As of right now we don't anticipate any charges," Blagg said.

Blagg called the shooting "tragic" noting that Short was a well respected firefighter and a good family man.

"He just helped me this past week on a wreck," Blagg said. "You couldn't beat him. It's just terrible. He was a good guy, a good firefighter and a family man. Without a doubt, without the alcohol this would not have happened. Here it is Christmas time and now his kids have lost their daddy. It's sad alcohol can do this."

Blagg said the Hand family is very distraught, but added that Short's wife told him that Todd would have done the same thing had the situation been reversed.

Short's colleagues at the Trumann Fire Department described him as a dedicated firefighter who was always eager to help, loved to hunt and race cars and fun to be around.

"Todd was a true firefighter in every respect of the term," Fire Chief Rick Winkles said in a statement. "Todd would do anything asked of him in any situation and would always take the initiative and get the job done. Todd loved working for the Trumann Fire Department and would thank me constantly for giving him the opportunity to serve the citizens of Trumann. He was a unique individual, someone special who will be dearly missed by his personal family, his fire department family, and his friends and especially by me."

Fire Capt. Richard Mabe said Short always knew how to make people laugh whenever they were down.

"He was a very fun loving guy to just hang around with," Mabe said. "He will be greatly missed by everyone that knew him. He will always be in my heart."

"The city of Trumann and the Trumann Fire Department has lost a great asset," assistant fire chief Earnie Link added. "I will miss Todd very much. We got real close in the past few years."

Tony Blackwood said he will miss Short's laugh and always remember his wise cracks.

"He was like a brother to me and I will never forget him," Blackwood said.