Maggie Valley Man’s shooting prompted by assault with an axe, charges claim
A man who was shot last year in the Jonathan Creek community is now behind bars and facing serious charges, accused of using an axe to attack the woman who would respond by shooting him.
Justin Michael Moody, 38, of Maggie Valley, was indicted on charges of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and conspiracy to commit assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. He was also charged with communicating threats, breaking and entering and second-degree trespassing in a separate but related incident.
The indictment alleges that Moody “intentionally assaulted” the victim with an axe, which then led to the shooting on June 14, 2024.
It’s not clear whether Moody actually struck the victim or not.
“The defendant’s conduct constituted an overt act or attempt, or the unequivocal appearance of an attempt, with force and violence, to do some immediate physical injury,” the indictment reads.
The indictment also mentions Moody being shot by the victim. It alleges that Moody’s conduct constituted a show of violence and caused the victim to reasonably fear being injured.
It alleges that fear caused the victim “to engage in a course of conduct which she would have not otherwise followed,” clarifying that Moody was shot with a shotgun.
The woman was not charged in the shooting.
The conspiracy charge alleges that Moody was working with “unknown persons” to carry out the attack.
“Defendant and other unknown persons had the intent to carry out the agreement to commit this crime,” the indictment reads.
When the bill of indictment came back on May 5, an arrest warrant was immediately issued for Moody.
Four days later, on May 9, an additional arrest warrant was issued on charges of communicating threats, breaking and entering and second-degree trespassing.
The arrest warrant for the additional charges alleges that Moody left a voice message for a different victim on Facebook stating that if he had to come to her house, “that he would burn her house down, and if she pressed charges against him, that he would harm her.”
He then allegedly broke into the second victim’s home.
Moody is being held on a $1 million bond for the initial two charges and a $2,500 bond for the more recent charges.
