'Buddy, you shot me!': The story behind that Dec. 30 manslaughter arrest near Dunnellon

Marion County Sheriff's Office officials said a man was under the influence and handling a firearm for the first time when he and shot and killed his friend at a residence on Dec. 30.

Chase Richard Koepke was shot once in the stomach at his home by his friend Abraham Yosef Bordas. The incident occurred outside the city of Dunnellon, in the 2200 block of Southwest 146th Avenue Road, law enforcement officials said.

Koepke was taken to HCA Florida Ocala, where he later died.

The victim was 26 and would have turned 27 on Jan. 13, according to officials.

Sheriff's Detective Michael Fredette interviewed the reported shooter, Bordas, twice. He later arrested Bordas and charged him with manslaughter. Bordas was transported to the Marion County Jail for booking.

He was released the next day after posting a $30,000 bond. Bordas, 22, of Marion Oaks, does not have a criminal record.

Bordas' interviews

In the first interview, Fredette said in his report that Bordas' eyes were bloodshot and glossy, and there was a strong odor of alcohol coming from the man's breath.

Bordas said he and Koepke had been friends for two years and he was invited to come to the residence to help paint. At the residence, Bordas said, he and the victim were drinking.

Bordas said he was drinking Twisted Iced Tea and he consumed four of them. Asked how he felt, Bordas said, "I was obviously inebriated at the time," according to his arrest report.

During the interview, Bordas said he had never handled a gun before. While at the home, he found the gun but did not know it was loaded and wasn't aware that the safety was off.

Bordas told the detective he did not know he fired the weapon until he heard his friend say: "Buddy, you shot me!" He said he immediately called 911.

A woman who was at the home at the time of the shooting told the detective Bordas and Koepke had been drinking by the time she arrived to help paint.

The woman said they painted one room and took a break. She said she was in the kitchen washing dishes when she heard the men talking. She said she saw Bordas holding a gun.

She said Bordas was looking at the gun from the side. moving it around, and it appeared the firearm was pointed at Koepke. She said she saw Bordas squeeze the trigger.

Finding the gun

The woman said she saw the victim stumble from the couch and told Bordas he had been shot and to call 911. She said she tried to stop the bleeding with paper towels. The victim later lost consciousness.

Walking outside, she heard sirens and saw a deputy sprinting toward the residence.

She said both men were laughing, listening to music, and were not fighting or arguing before the shooting.

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Inside the residence, the detective found the gun, described as a 9mm Canik TP9 SF Elite, on a counter. The gun was loaded. The detective also recovered a shell casing and loaded magazine.

Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Drunk, inexperienced, deadly: More about that Dec. 30 shooting case