BEDFORD – A Lawrence County Superior Court II jury deliberated for over an hour before returning a guilty verdict on multiple charges for 36-year-old Timothy Brian Helton. Helton was convicted of the murder of Johnnie Grubb IV, the attempted murder of Jeffery Crane, unlawful carrying of a handgun, criminal recklessness, and two counts of pointing a firearm. Following the verdict, Helton pleaded guilty to being a habitual offender, which will result in an additional eight to 20 years added to his sentence. Judge Robert Cline will sentence him on all charges on April 3.
The prosecution, led by Lawrence County Prosecutor Sam Arp and Deputy Prosecutor Joshua Scherschel, expressed satisfaction with the jury’s decision. “The case spoke for itself, and we stand behind the jury’s decision. Their decision is always the right decision,” said Arp after the verdict was announced.
Helton’s defense team, headed by Chief Public Defender Tim Sledd and D. Michael Allen, had argued that the shooting was an act of self-defense. The incident occurred at Grubb’s home in the 500 block of Sunny Acres Lane on Saturday, May 18, 2024, where Grubb, Crane, and Jimmy Allgood were working in the garage. Both Grubb and Crane were shot during the confrontation. Grubb, who had recently been released from prison after serving time for possession of methamphetamine, died from his injuries at IU Health Hospital after losing more than two quarts of blood.
Forensic Pathologist Dr. James Jacobi testified that Grubb’s death was caused by blood loss due to multiple gunshot wounds. One bullet entered Grubb’s chest, broke his eighth rib, and went through his liver, stomach, and left kidney. Another bullet struck his shoulder, exiting through his chest and shattering his sternum. Crane, who was shot in the stomach and leg, was flown by helicopter to the University of Louisville Hospital for treatment.
Both victims tested positive for meth in their toxicology reports. However, Dr. Jacobi stated that the meth was not a contributing factor in Grubb’s death. Helton was also high on meth at the time of the shooting.
Crane testified that the shooting stemmed from an earlier confrontation with Helton. Two weeks before the incident, Crane allegedly caught Helton and another man attempting to steal a 4-wheeler from Grubb’s property. During the altercation, Helton pulled a gun on Crane. While they eventually settled their dispute, Crane gave Helton a phone number, a combination of his and Grubb’s numbers, though Helton believed it to be Crane’s cell phone number.
Helton began texting the number to make amends for the attempted theft, not knowing the number belonged to a 15-year-old Monroe County male teen. The teen testified in a deposition that he had been “playing along” with Helton’s messages, even inviting him to visit Grubb’s house. “I was messing with him… I did it to get a laugh out of it,” the teen said. Meanwhile, Crane and Allgood, under Grubb’s direction, were “arming up” to prevent another theft.
“From that moment when my client began texting who he believed was Jeffery Crane, he was on the avenue of amends,” said Sledd. “He had no idea he was texting a kid.”
Helton continued to text the number and believed everything was patched up between him and Crane. The teen reassured him, saying everything was cool, and invited him to the house. Helton, eager to meet and make amends, suggested bringing meth for a party. But things quickly escalated when Helton and his companion, Christopher Cecil, arrived at Grubb’s property on the morning of May 18.
Cecil testified that he went along with Hilton to possibly purchase a vehicle from Grubb, describing the scene as “heaven” with around 30 cars on the property. However, as they approached the garage, Crane became confrontational, pointing out that Helton was the man who had previously pulled a gun on him. Helton responded by saying he was “just here to talk.”
Cecil recalled Grubb’s response: “I got something for that,” which he described as a clear indication that Grubb had a gun. “It just got real. 10 times out of 10, when someone says that, it means there is a gun involved,” Cecil testified. Grubb then made a sudden movement, reaching for something on a shelf, at which point shots were fired. Grubb and Crane were both injured, and Helton and Cecil fled the scene, running back to their vehicle parked at the end of the driveway.
Investigators found no weapons on the property, including in the garage, and no evidence to support that Grubb or Crane were armed at the time of the shooting. However, Defense Attorney Sledd said officers didn’t search the numerous vehicles on the property for any weapons.
With the guilty verdict in place, Helton faces a lengthy sentence, including additional time for his habitual offender status. Arp said the jury’s verdict was a decisive moment in the case, delivering justice for the tragic death of Johnnie Grubb IV and the injuries sustained by Jeffery Crane.
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