Libby man accused in Russian roulette death pleads no contest

A Libby man facing charges involving the death of another local man on Memorial Day weekend during a game of Russian roulette pleaded no contest to the offense on Monday, Dec. 4.

Keigan I. Ball, 22, who is free on $50,000 bail, appeared in Lincoln County District Court and pleaded no contest to a felony count of criminal endangerment. A charge of negligent homicide was dismissed as part of a plea deal. The agreement calls for a 3-year deferred sentence.

Judge Matt Cuffe set Ball's sentencing for Jan. 29, 2024. A no contest plea means the defendant does not assume guilt, but believes he could be found guilty. Ball, as he said to an investigator following the shooting, believed he had unloaded his gun.

According to court documents, 30-year-old Shane Ellison died in the tragic shooting on May 27 that occurred when he mistakenly shot himself with revolver that he thought was unloaded.

The investigation began when Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office deputies Anthony Jenson and Ben Fisher responded to the scene at a location on Farm to Market Road. Jenson saw a Dodge Stealth that had come to a stop in a chain link fence. He saw Ellison laying just outside the driver’s side door of the vehicle.

Jenson also saw two men standing at the end of the driveway, one of whom he recognized as Ball. Jenson wrote in his report that Ball’s arms and jacket were covered with blood.

The deputy approached Ball and asked him what happened. Ball allegedly said, “It was (expletive) unloaded.” Ball then told the officer he and Ellison had been messing around. He said they would usually go into the woods, put one in the chamber and play Russian roulette. Ball allegedly said he emptied the revolver and left the loaded cartridges in his hand. He then handed the gun to Ellison who spun the cylinder, put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger, according to court filings.

According to Jenson’s report, Ball said he drove to the current location where Ellison had been living in a shed on the property because he didn’t know what to do.

Deputy Fisher found four live rounds in the grass near Ball’s vehicle. Fisher’s inspection of the gun showed it held five rounds. One spent round was in the cylinder behind the firing pin.

A conviction for criminal endangerment may result in a 10-year sentence.