Judge orders Lancaster man to remain in custody after double homicide
LANCASTER, Ohio (WCMH) – A man charged in a Fairfield County double homicide Tuesday night will remain behind bars until his next court appearance.
According to Fairfield County court documents, 26-year-old Kyle Varney, accused of fatally shooting two men in the 1200 block of North Broad Street in Lancaster, appeared in court Thursday for an arraignment hearing.
Varney, who was expected to be released from the hospital and transferred to Fairfield County Jail, was assigned a court-appointed attorney. Prosecuting attorneys initially requested a $2 million bond.
However, a Fairfield County Common Pleas judge entered an interim order that Varney remain in custody until a bond hearing, which was scheduled for March 4. For a previous report on Varney's arrest, view the video player above.
Varney is accused of killing two men after an argument escalated in the Lancaster home. Police reported that Varney went downstairs and returned with a shotgun, shooting one man in the side of the head.
Charged with two counts of murder and six counts of felonious assault, Varney then allegedly fired at the other man, also hitting him in the head. He then reportedly chased after and shot at a woman, injuring her in the process.
Lancaster Police confirmed on Wednesday that the two dead men were Varney’s father and grandfather, and that Varney’s mother was the injured woman.
An officer initially responded to reports of a behavioral health issue, but backup support was immediately called upon arrival. Within seconds, that officer fired shots at Varney as he was approaching the front door.
As other officers arrived, the first responding officer said he fired shots at Varney, but wasn’t sure where Varney was at that moment. Body camera footage released by Lancaster police showed Varney eventually came out from behind the home and was ordered to crawl to officers before placed in handcuffs.
Varney was hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds, but investigators did not know if that happened before or after officers arrived.