LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Clearlake Oaks man charged for an October shooting spree in which he killed his father and a friend, shot and wounded two others including a California Highway Patrol officer, attempted to kill three others and set two fires as he fled has been ordered to stand trial.

On Wednesday, at the end of his preliminary hearing, Alan Leroy Ashmore, 62, was held to answer in the case, according to District Attorney Don Anderson, who is handling the case prosecution.

Ashmore’s defense attorney is Andrea Sullivan, who administers Lake County’s indigent defense contract.

“The evidence from the prosecution at the preliminary hearing revealed that Mr. Ashmore was making strange statements and bizarre claims in an interview with police after the incident,” Sullivan said.

“The issue in Mr. Ashmore’s case is not whether or not he committed the alleged acts, but his frame of mind and mental state at that time,” she said.

Anderson said Ashmore is charged with two counts of murder for the deaths of his father Douglas Ashmore and his friend Richard Braden; two counts of attempted murder regarding Harold Noell and Mauro Lopez; one count of attempted murder of a peace officer for CHP Officer Steven Patrick, who was injured when he was hit in his bulletproof vest by a shotgun slug; five counts of assault with a deadly weapon, four counts of shooting at an occupied dwelling, two counts of arson, robbery, burglary and a felon in possession of a firearm.

Anderson told Lake County News in a February interview that he would not seek the death penalty for Ashmore because of his age and the fact that, before the shootings, he had little criminal background.

During the daylong preliminary hearing on Wednesday, Anderson presented evidence alleging that on Oct. 23, Ashmore went on a shooting spree in Clearlake Oaks.

Ashmore first shot his female friend, Cantra Hoeck, in the foot because she would not have sex with him. When his father tried to intervene, Alan Ashmore shot him in the face, instantly killing him, Anderson said.

Ashmore then tried to kill his neighbor, Harold Noell, who witnessed the first shooting; however, the pistol misfired and Noell escaped. Anderson said Ashmore then fired several rounds into three separate residences from both inside and outside of the residences.

Anderson said Ashmore drove to the end of Anchor Village and shot and Killed Richard Braden with several rounds from his shotgun while Braden was seated in his vehicle.

Just prior to leaving the area Ashmore shot one round from his shotgun at Officer Patrick, striking Patrick on the side of his abdomen. Patrick was wearing his bulletproof vest, but still received a large bruise, Anderson said.

Patrick returned to work in January after three months off duty, as Lake County News has reported.

After injuring Officer Patrick, Ashmore drove to the Chevron Station on Highway 20 in Clearlake Oaks where he met Mauro Lopez. After accidentally bumping into each other, Ashmore fired one round, barely missing Lopez’s head. Ashmore then stole a Pepsi from the store and when leaving the store he was shot at by Lopez, Anderson said.

Anderson said Ashmore then drove to the other end of town and entered the Power Mart store where he stole a pack of cigarettes. While leaving the store he pointed the gun at the store clerk. Once outside the store Ashmore fired several rounds.

Ashmore drove up High Valley Road with sheriff’s deputies and Patrick a few minutes behind him. Ashmore stopped along side of the road where he lit two fires to bring attention to that area, Anderson said.

Ashmore then drove to the Brassfield Winery where he encountered James Davis. Ashmore pointed a gun at Davis in an attempt to steal his vehicle. Davis was able to escape after a high speed chase from Ashmore, Anderson said.

After leaving Brassfield Winery and deputies in pursuit, Ashmore continued up High Valley Road until he came across a road block set up sheriff’s deputies, CHP and Lakeport Police officers. Anderson said Ashmore surrendered without resistance.

As for a possible motive, in a previous interview, Anderson said that Ashmore told investigators after he was taken into custody that he “would just kill anyone that f****** moved.

The next steps in the process of moving the case to trial involve Ashmore going back to court for arraignment, which Anderson said is set for April 24.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.