JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A close friend of two Jacksonville sisters shot earlier this week is speaking out by recounting what he says happened the day Lisa Rucker was shot in the face and her sister Ashlee Rucker was killed.
Ashlee's boyfriend, Chad Absher, 32, is currently behind bars and charged with murder.
Tuesday morning, a decision to watch a movie with his friend Lisa Rucker and her son would forever change Lyle Scheideman’s life.
“Her son came banging on the door saying ‘Lyle he’s choking my mom he’s choking my mom,’” Scheideman said.
It was there he says Absher was strangling Ashlee, by then he says Lisa was on the phone shouting she was going to call the cops.
“And he then put his hand on Lisa … I rushed him and knocked him out into the closet. He was out cold,” Scheideman said.
He says he continued to beat up Absher, believing he had knocked him unconscious.
“I’m telling everyone ‘we need to go.’ Lisa is literally guiding me down the stairs when we get down to the bottom of the stairs, Lisa is like ‘my sisters is still upstairs don’t leave Lyle please don’t leave me.’” Scheideman said. “I said ‘look Lisa, I’m not going nowhere get them we can get a hotel.’ Lisa goes back upstairs [and] not even 20 seconds later I hear the first gunshot I hear a scream and then another gunshot.”
Police say Absher shot both sisters. Lisa was shot in the side of the face and is expected to make a full recovery. Her older sister Ashlee died due to her wounds.
“After I heard the gunshots, I went to the stairwell. “Looking up I see Chad exit the stairwell, put a gun in his waste and zip his jacket up,” Scheideman said.
Scheideman said he called 911 and ran up the stairs.
“I drop to my knees. I’m holding Ashlee’s head in my hand and I’m holding Lisa’s hand and I’m telling Lisa you need to fight you need to be strong and I’m hysterically crying. I’m kissing Ashlee on the head, I know she’s dead,” Scheideman said.
Absher is charged with murder, attempted murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Meanwhile, we spoke to his father who maintains his son’s is innocent.
Absher is currently behind bars and has pleaded not guilty.