Man fatally shot by Wise County homeowner

A man who repeatedly rang a doorbell and knocked on a front door was fatally shot Friday morning by the homeowner after the two fought in the yard, authorities said Friday.

Before he was shot to death, the man repeatedly demanded to be let in the house, Wise County Sheriff David Walker said.

Wise County Sheriff’s Department officials identified the alleged intruder as Spencer Crandall, 31.

“The homeowner did not know him,” Walker said.

The incident occurred about 4 a.m. Friday in the Shale Creek neighborhood east of Rhome, just off Texas 114.

The homeowner told deputies that someone repeatedly rang the doorbell and knocked on the door, but it stopped. The homeowner answered the door, but no one was there. A few seconds later, the doorbell rang again and someone knocked on the door.

“The homeowner armed himself and went outside,” Walker said. “That’s when he saw a man trying to jump a fence that was between his house and his neighbor’s home.”

The homeowner and Crandall got into an altercation as the stranger kept saying, “Let me in the house.”

“They fought briefly,” Walker said. “At some point, he [the homeowner] backed away from the man and told him he was armed. The man kept saying he needed to get inside of the house.”

The homeowner, armed with a handgun, stood between his home and Crandall.

The homeowner didn’t want Crandall in the house because his wife and a juvenile were inside, Walker said.

The homeowner opened fire on Crandall, killing him, Walker said.

“I believe he fired one shot,” Walker said.

Domingo Ramirez Jr., 817-390-7763

This story was originally published December 26, 2014 at 9:11 AM with the headline "Man fatally shot by Wise County homeowner."