Teen convicted in killing of twin sentenced to juvenile corrections

Tyler McIntyre, 15, was arrested after his brother Christopher died of a gunshot wound to the head in their East Side home on Sept. 26, 2007.

The boy was charged with manslaughter and tried over the course of several days in the juvenile division of Pima County Superior Court.

Tyler's attorney, Cynthia Sweet, tried to persuade Judge Virginia Kelly that Christopher McIntyre suffered mental-health issues and shot himself because he didn't want to be locked up in connection with a recent burglary he'd committed.

Deputy Pima County Attorney Ellen Brown argued there was no way Christopher McIntyre could possibly have shot himself, given the angle of his head wound.

An autopsy showed the teenager had been shot behind the right ear, and the bullet exited above the left ear. Since Christopher was left-handed, he could not have managed the shot, Brown said.

Tyler was the only other person in the room at the time of the shooting, and he initially told police Christopher may have been shot during a drive-by shooting, Brown said.

He also didn't tell police he'd hidden the gun under a couch cushion until he was confronted, Brown said.

Kelly adjudicated Tyler delinquent on the charge of manslaughter and sentenced him July 10.

The judge opted to send Tyler to the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections until his 18th birthday. She also had the option of placing him on probation or placing him in a residential treatment center.

According to court documents, Kelly felt a secure facility was for the best because of the nature of the offense, the level of risk Tyler posed to the community and because of his past "pattern of conduct."

Both McIntyre boys were on probation at the time of the shooting.

In addition, Kelly said "commitment is a final opportunity for rehabilitation as well as a way of holding the minor accountable for a serious delinquent act."