Family: Jacksonville man accused of killing girlfriend, shooting sister is innocent

Action News Jax is looking into why Chad Absher’s attorney had him skip out on Thursday’s court appearance.

Chad Absher is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, Ashlee Rucker, and shooting her sister, Lisa Rucker.

According to her family, Lisa Rucker is expected to make a full recovery.

William Absher told Action News Jax that he believes his son is innocent.

“There’s two families that have been tore apart is about all I can say,” he said.

According to Chad Absher's arrest warrant, he and Ashlee Rucker were arguing over car keys before the double shooting.

The warrant says the argument escalated into him choking her.

It states a witness heard two gunshots a few seconds apart, saw Chad Absher with a rifle or shotgun and found both victims with gunshot wounds to the head.

Chad Absher is charged with murder, attempted murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

His first court appearance Thursday was waived.

Action News Jax Law and Safety Expert Dale Carson believes Chad Absher's attorney is deliberately keeping him out of the public eye.

“The result (of the public seeing him in shackles) is they have a preconceived notion that he’s in custody, he must therefore be guilty and that’s always a problem from the defense perspective,” Carson said.

What may be the defense’s biggest problem is a line from the arrest warrant that states, despite being shot, "Lisa Rucker told officers that the person who shot her was Chad Absher."

Cox Media Group