Defense Attorney Joe Munoz and William Allen Nutter during a hearing Thursday in Wood County Circuit Court. Nutter is scheduled to go to trial next week on a charge of murder in the death of his brother, Charles Ryan Cottle, in May 2020. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

PARKERSBURG — The trial of a man accused of killing his brother in May 2020 in Parkersburg is scheduled to begin on Monday.

William Allen Nutter, 41, originally of 861 Grattan St., Chickopee, Mass., is scheduled to go to trial on a charge of murder Monday before Wood County Circuit Judge Jason Wharton.

A status hearing was held Thursday before Wharton. Nutter, in custody at the North Central Regional Jail, was indicted in the fall of 2020 in the death of his brother, Charles Ryan Cottle, 29.

On May 10, 2020, Parkersburg Police responded to 1324 Broadway Ave. for a report of shots fired. Cottle was shot nine times in the torso and hip and was found against the back door of the family home, police reported.

Both Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure and defense attorney Joe Munoz indicated they would be ready to go on Monday with jury selection and to present their cases.

Lefebure said they wanted to withdraw a motion to have someone else provide expert testimony on firearms as their original witness would not be able to attend next week due to a personal matter. Lefebure said Thursday the original could attend next week on Thursday and the prosecution wanted to withdraw its motion to have someone else testify.

“We intend to call him on Thursday morning,” Lefebure said.

He is expecting the case to go into Wednesday afternoon and was asking the court to stop the trial for the day and start up first thing the next morning.

Munoz asked that the defense does not begin presenting its case on Wednesday and for the court to end the day once the prosecution is done.

Wharton agreed saying it would be inappropriate for the defense to start its case with another prosecution witness still to be called.

“The court has no objection to recessing early on Wednesday,” he said.

Lefebure said a plea agreement was offered to Nutter and it was turned down.

Wharton asked Nutter if he had discussed the offer with Munoz.

“He told me what it was, but I didn’t feel like there was anything to talk about,” Nutter responded.

Previous hearings talked about tests performed on evidence, specifically munitions that were “stovepiped,” or tried to be fired but couldn’t.

Lefebure talked about having Detective Doug Sturm handling a couple of firearms that are in evidence during trial. The weapons would be unloaded with no ammunition magazine. Sturm would be showing functions of the weapon and how a “stovepipe” might occur. This would also require him to take the gunlock off the weapon.

“As long as it is in the hands of someone who is trained, the court has no (procedural) objection to that,” Wharton said.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com