HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- A sheriff's department investigator said today 64-year-old Erskine Hughes chased his 73-year-old victim in a car, then when the man got home Hughes chased him down and killed him on his back porch.

Hughes is charged with murder in the shooting death of Richard Kier at Kier's home at 5103 Colemon Lane near Winchester and Moore's Mill roads in northeast Madison County on March 21. Kier's body was found on his back porch with multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and face, a sheriff's department investigator said this morning during Hughes' preliminary hearing.

Madison County Sheriff's Department investigator Eugene Nash testified there were no witnesses to the shooting, but Nash outlined several pieces of circumstantial evidence that he says point to Hughes.

Kier's wife said she was taking a shower when she heard gunshots and noticed a black (Range Rover) Discovery in the driveway. She told Nash that Hughes was the only person her husband had "problems with" or a "beef." Nash testified she didn't have details of their disagreement, though the men may have been in real estate together, and the problems could have dated back at least 10 years.

Investigators learned Hughes owned a black Discovery and officers were sent to his Huntsville home to find him.

A business across the street from Kier's home had a video camera that showed much of the encounter, Nash testified. He said a white vehicle pulled into Kier's driveway at a faster than normal rate, then the occupant got out quickly. A black vehicle was only seconds behind and that driver also got out. The video didn't show faces, but the first person ran towards the back of the house, the second person was in pursuit and appeared to be firing a gun.

A pistol was found in a dumpster near Kier's home the same day.

Hughes appeared at the Huntsville Police Department after hearing officers had been to his house. He was driving a silver car and appeared to have blood stains on his pant leg and one shoe, Nash said.

The silver vehicle was searched and a receipt from an auto repair business was found. Nash said the owner of that business told them Hughes had picked up the silver car that day and told them to sell the black Discovery, which had then been taken to Limestone County. The black vehicle was later searched and appeared to have blood on a door panel, Nash said.

Hughes declined to talk to investigators.

His attorney John Taylor asked Nash if he ever discovered the nature of the alleged problems between the two men, Nash said he hadn't. Nash also said there were no witnesses to the shooting.

Madison County District Judge Alison Austin said there was probable cause to send the case to a Madison County grand jury.