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'Drinking buddy' jailed on reckless endangerment, drug charges
By LANA MUTHLER
lmuthler@lockhaven.com
LOCK HAVEN -- An apparent game of "Russian Roulette" proved deadly for a Lock Haven man early Saturday morning.
Robert Ronald Litz Jr., 42, of 4 N. Henderson St., died of a gunshot wound to the head at about 3 a.m. Sunday, according to Lock Haven City Police.
He was found dead on the floor of an apartment across the hall from where Randy Malcolm Hill, 55, resided, police said.
Hill has been charged with possession of a firearm with an altered manufacturer's number, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, and recklessly endangering another person, in that he recklessly engaged in conduct which placed or may have placed another in danger of death or serious bodily injury.
Police said Hill handed Robert Litz Jr. a loaded firearm with the intention of playing "Russian Roulette," and Litz then shot himself in the head and died.
Hill was arraigned by District Magistrate John Maggs. He remains in the Clinton County Correctional Facility on $25,000 monetary bail.
According to the criminal complaint:
Lock Haven police arrived at the Henderson Street address at 3:10 a.m. Sunday and made contact with Hill on the ground level entrance door of the building. Hill said that he and his friend were drinking and identified his friend as Litz. Hill said that he came out of the bathroom and Litz had the gun in his hand and wanted to play Russian Roulette. Hill said that Litz put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger and the gun went off causing a gunshot wound to the head of Litz.
Hill told police he picked up the gun when it fell on the floor and put it on the table. The gun was a Ruger Security Six revolver 357 Magnum, blued with a brown handle. Hill said he tried to catch Litz as he fell to the ground. He then called 911.
There was not a visible serial number on the firearm. It appeared as if the bottom part of the frame had been cut off where the serial number would be located. Inside the cylinder there was one empty 38 Special casing. Also on the same table there was a white powder residue and a piece of color colored steel wool. There was also a small notebook which had names and dollar amounts in it. The notebook appeared to be a ledger consistent with keeping drug sales.
Officers also observed a pill bottle on a different stand that was a prescription to Hill for Hydrocodone 10-325… 180 pills prescribed on 5-18-18. There were only about 50 pills inside the bottle.
Officers talked to a resident in a neighboring apartment Michael Shilling. One of the officers observed a silver box located in the ceiling of the Shilling apartment just inside the door. Shilling said the box was not hi and that officers could retrieve the box.
Police retrieved the box along with other items from the drop ceiling. Inside the box was a small silver Davis Industries two shot pistol 22 Magnum caliber.
There were two live rounds in the chamber. also in the box were four live 38 Special rounds that appeared to be the same as the fired cartridge in the Ruger Security Six. There was also blood on some of the items inside the silver box. There was a small black box with two small bags of suspected marijuana inside, approximately 100 empty small plastic ziplock baggies, a mirror with a lighter, a razor blade and white residue, a hard plastic "Juicy Fruit" container, a bag of white powder suspected cocaine and a suspected crack cocaine rock. There were also numerous glass pipes.
Hill was transported to City Hall for an interview. At 4:20 a.m. Hill was read his Miranda warnings and agreed to speak with officers. He provided the same information as he provided at the scene.
Hill was interviewed further at 5:14 a.m. and stated that Litz told Shilling to get the silver box out of the drawer in the room and that Shilling placed the box on the table. Hill said that he took the revolver and unloaded four or five rounds out of it. Hill said he thought the gun was empty. Hill said that Litz wanted to play "Russian Roulette." Hill said he put the gun to his own head and pulled the trigger. Hill stated that Litz took the gun from him and put it to his own head. Hill said the Litz pulled the trigger and shot himself in the head.
Further, Hill said that he gave all the items that were found in Shills apartment in the drop ceiling to Shilling. Hill said all the items found were his. Hill said that he had given Litz two of the Hydrocodone pills because Litz was selling his pills for him. Hills said the notebook on the table was used to track the sales of the pills that Litz made for him.
Hill stated that the revolver that Litz shot himself with was Litz's. Hill said that he has been keeping the revolver for him for a couple of months. The small silver pistol was left there by a friend who is not the registered owner of the pistol, Hill said.
At 6:44 a.m., officers spoke with Shilling at City Hall again after he was advised of his Miranda warnings. Shilling advised that he was present when Litz shot himelf. Shilling said that he did get the silver box for Hill, but he did not know there was a firearm in it. Shilling said he saw Hill spin the cylinder on the gun, put it to his own head and pull the trigger. Shilling said he heard a click. Hill than handed the gun to Litz and Litz took the gun and shot himself, Shilling said. Hill said that he went back to his room. Shilling said that Hill did then arrive at his room and told him to place the items that Hill gave him into the ceiling.