On a Friday in September 2021, 30-year-old James E. Westcott of Taberg, New York, was fatally shot in Annsville during what authorities described as a domestic dispute. Westcott was known locally for his painting and for camping in the woods.

Police found Westcott with a fatal gunshot wound and investigators identified his two brothers as the individuals responsible. Both brothers were taken into custody and charged in connection with the shooting; motive was not immediately released.

The case remained centered on family conflict and the legal proceedings that followed in the local court system.