Salem man charged with manslaughter in West Salem shooting

A Salem man was formally charged Tuesday with first-degree manslaughter in connection to the July 15 shooting death of 30-year-old former Oregon National Guard soldier Matthew Pearce.

Nicholas Anthony Ransom, 34, appeared before Polk County Circuit Judge Monte Campbell, where he was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Pearce was found dead in a residence in the 2600 block of Islander Ave. NW after officers responded to reports of a disturbance involving a gun about 11 p.m., according to police reports.

A Salem Police affidavit, called a probable cause statement, said officers found Pearce dead in the upstairs master bedroom. An autopsy performed by the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office said Pearce died from multiple gunshot wounds.

According to the affidavit, Ransom admitted to shooting Pearce with a .380 handgun during a physical fight that began in the bathroom. The fight started after Ransom told Pearce there was going to be a new sleeping arrangement in the house, the affidavit said.

Ransom told police that Pearce dragged him out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, where he pummeled and choked him on the bed for 10 to 20 minutes before Ransom grabbed a handgun that was on a nearby dresser.

According to the affidavit, Ransom said Pearce came at him with a “crazy look in his eyes,” prompting Ransom to shoot Pearce four times. Ransom said Pearce “didn’t go down” after the first four shots, so he shot Pearce one more time in the head, telling police he shot Pearce because he feared for his life and was left with no other choice.

But statements by witnesses to the shooting — as well as an evaluation of Ransom’s injuries and a recorded 911 call — outlined discrepancies in Ransom’s story, according to the affidavit.

According to Det. Scotty Nowning of the Salem Police Department, a series of gunshots over the course of four or five seconds could be heard in the background of a 911 call made by a witness who was present at time of the shooting. According to Nowning, the rapid nature of the shots were not consistent with Ransom’s description of the shooting.

Ransom’s injuries, evaluated just hours after the incident, were also inconsistent with the prolonged physical beating Ransom described to police. According to the affidavit, Ransom had a few small scratches and a bump on his head following the fight.

Andrew Smith, a witness to the fight, said he saw Pearce punch Ransom in the face and assault him with a head butt, but he never saw Pearce choke Ransom.

Smith also said the fight had ended in the bathroom.

According to Smith, Pearce made a phone call from his cellphone following the altercation. Smith said he saw Ransom run from the bathroom during the call, retrieve a handgun and raise the gun.

Smith took off running and said he heard gunshots about when he was about halfway down the stairs, according to the affidavit.

Those inconsistencies eventually led to the manslaughter charges against Ransom.

Salem Police announced on July 17 that they had arrested a person involved in the fatal shooting but did not identify the person or describe the person as a suspect, saying only that the subject was being held on charges unrelated to the shooting.

Court documents indicate Ransom was initially arraigned Aug. 6 on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with the shooting. Ransom was arraigned on the manslaughter charge Tuesday, Aug. 11.

According to the Oregon Army National Guard, Pearce completed two tours in Iraq. He was deployed with the 234th Engineer Company in 2007 and the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry in 2009. He left the Guard in January 2013.

Campbell set bail at $115,000. Ransom is set to appear for a preliminary hearing Aug. 13.

Email aroemeling@statesmanjournal.com, call (503) 399-6884 or follow on Twitter @alisharoemeling