Russell Ragsdale admitted to being intoxicated by hallucinogenic mushrooms after he fatally shot his roommate.
SEAGOVILLE, Texas — A 25-year-old North Texas man who fatally shot his roommate while under the influence of hallucinogenic mushrooms has been sentenced to more than five years in federal prison, federal officials announced.
On July 17, Russell Alan Ragsdale was sentenced to 66 months in federal custody and three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty in April to possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance, a charge tied to a February 2022 fatal shooting in Seagoville.
According to court documents, Ragsdale told police at the time that his roommate had attacked him and that he “shot him many times” in self-defense. Investigators recovered three firearms from the home, including a 10mm Glock and an AR-15, along with nearly two grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms. Authorities said a forensic review of Ragsdale’s phone revealed a history of drug use dating back to November 2021, and evidence that he had purchased and used hallucinogens the day before the shooting.
Though Ragsdale was initially charged with murder in the case, that charge was later dismissed. At that time, Ragsdale told law enforcement that his roommate had attacked him and claimed he shot him in self-defense, according to federal officials.
As part of his guilty plea, Ragsdale admitted to being intoxicated by hallucinogenic mushrooms when he owned the firearm used in the shooting.
During his sentencing, a federal judge found that Ragsdale had not presented sufficient evidence to support his self-defense claim and ruled that the victim’s death was the result of his own actions.
Ragsdale’s case drew further scrutiny last year when, on Nov. 2, 2024, he allegedly attempted to re-enter a North Texas church with a tactical rifle after attending Mass with approximately 100 parishioners. According to court documents, he retrieved the rifle from his car following the service but was unable to re-enter the building after parishioners locked the doors. The name of the church has not been disclosed.
Ragsdale was arrested later that month and has remained in federal custody since Nov. 22, 2024. He will remain detained pending transfer to the Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence, federal officials said.
Great Job & the Team @ WFAA RSS Feed: news Source link for sharing this story.
