Warner Robins man who fatally shot his brother pleads guilty, sentenced to 20 years
A Warner Robins man pleaded guilty Thursday to shooting his brother last year.
Joseph Daniel Schaarschmidt, 31, received the maximum sentence of 20 years as a result, according to a news release from Houston County District Attorney Eric Edwards.
J Schaarschmid pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, stemming from an incident on Jan. 28, 2024, where he shot his brother, Augustus Schaarschmidt.
That day, Joseph Schaarschmidt was involved in a dispute with a woman he had been in a relationship with. He carried a gun during the dispute.
Augustus Schaarschmidt arrived during the dispute and attempted to intervene, “which resulted in the victim being shot in the chest,” Edwards said.
“While there had never been any prior issues noted between the brothers, both brothers had documented struggles with their mental health, which undoubtedly contributed to the tragic result in this case,” according to Edwards.
The defendant walked away after the shooting, but he eventually returned. While being arrested by the Warner Robins Police Department, Joseph Schaarschmidt said that he loved his brother and that he was sorry.
Judge G.E. “Bo” Adams sentenced him to 20 years in prison.
“This case represents a sobering reminder of how quickly a moment of anger, fueled by instability and access to a firearm, can shatter an entire family,” Edwards said. “Only one of these two brothers will ever return home, and even that will only be after spending 20 years in a prison cell—there are never any winners when a firearm is introduced into a dispute like this.”
