ROANE COUNTY, Tenn. — A Rockwood man accused of killing another man in a "Russian roulette" shooting in 2019 was found guilty of second-degree murder after a trial in Roane County.
Rockwood police arrested Dorian Heiss on August 28, 2019, for second-degree murder and four counts of reckless endangerment, saying he shot and killed 19-year-old George Fleagle in a game of Russian roulette after dry firing a gun at other witnesses.
Heiss was 18 years old at the time of the shooting.
The Rockwood Police Department responded to the shooting just after midnight at 205 South Ridge Avenue on August 27, 2019, according to a detective's affidavit.
When officers went inside the home, they said they saw Fleagle on the floor next to a futon bed in the living room and the gun, a five-shot revolver, sitting on an ottoman. Police found four unfired rounds and a single spent cartridge nearby. Police tried to perform CPR on the victim.
Witnesses told police Heiss had been carrying the revolver that night, saying he mentioned something about Russian roulette before another person in the room "jokingly" said, "Let's play."
Witnesses said Heiss then took out the revolver, emptied all but one or two rounds from the cylinder and started to aim and dry fire at four witnesses in the room. One witness said he pointed the weapon at his own head before spinning the cylinder, pointing the gun at Fleagle and pulling the trigger, which sent a bullet through the victim's chest near his heart -- killing him.
An agent with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation interviewed Heiss at the police department, who said he confessed to shooting the victim as well as dry firing at the victim and one witness.
Heiss posted the $150,000 bail and was released from jail the same day on several pre-trial conditions, including having to wear a GPS tracking device and not having contact with the victims. He was also prohibited from consuming alcohol and possessing a gun.
According to inmate records with the Roane County Jail, since the shooting Heiss has also been charged with failure to appear and simple assault.
Sentencing is set for July. He faces up to 25 years in prison for the second-degree murder charge.