BY KEITH EPPS
A Stafford man who beat up another county man about a week before he died was convicted of involuntary manslaughter yesterday in Stafford Circuit Court.
Stephan Rodney-Tyler, 19, entered an Alford plea to involuntary manslaughter and pleaded guilty to two counts each of credit card theft and credit card forgery.
He had been charged in connection with the April 11 death of 22-year-old Casey Welborn, who died as the result of a blow to the head.
In exchange for Rodney-Tyler's pleas, a murder charge was reduced and several other charges were dropped. He will be sentenced Feb. 10.
According to evidence presented by prosecutor Amy Casey at a preliminary hearing, Rodney-Tyler, Welborn and others were at the Super 8 Motel on Warrenton Road late April 5 for a party that featured underage drinking and snorting Adderall, a stimulant used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
One witness said Welborn was particularly aggressive and talked loudly about wanting to fight.
In the statement made to Stafford Detective John Hughes, Rodney-Tyler said he woke up at 4:37 a.m. on April 6 and was incensed to learn that Welborn had struck a woman at the party.
He told Hughes that he "flipped out, saw red and was going to kill" Welborn, Hughes said.
Hughes said Rodney-Tyler told him he pushed Welborn, knocking him onto his head. According to the statement, Welborn then either jumped or fell off a third-floor balcony at the southern Stafford motel.
Hughes said police found no evidence of the reported 21-foot fall onto the pavement.
Welborn was found the next day sleeping in the back of a car outside Porter Library in North Stafford, where Rodney-Tyler told police he drove him. Deputies said he was intoxicated but didn't appear to be in need of immediate medical attention.
Evonne Welborn, the victim's mother, testified that her son was unsteady when police brought him home that morning and had trouble remembering things.
Welborn decided against going to the hospital, but family members spent the next several days tending to him. She said he slept much of the time.
By the day before he died, Welborn said, Casey Welborn appeared to be getting better and was planning to return to work on the day he died.
Welborn's credit card was found in Rodney-Tyler's wallet.
Police also recovered text messages from Rodney-Tyler's cell phone, one of which read, "maybe I should have pulled that punch a little bit."
Keith Epps: 540/374-5404
Email: kepps@freelancestar.com