Murder Charges in Weekend Shooting

Two suspects were charged Tuesday afternoon in connection with the weekend slaying of 18-year-old Antioch resident Matthew Butler, Contra Costa County Deputy District Attorney Harold Jewett said today.

Charles Hughes, a 20-year-old resident of Antioch and Oakland, and Kayl McCutchen, a 17-year-old Antioch resident, were each charged with murder, robbery, the use of a firearm and the special circumstances of allegedly killing Butler in the course of a robbery, Jewett said.

McCutchen, the alleged shooter, was charged as an adult.

Police found Butler in his car in the 5000 block of Lone Tree Way near Williamson Ranch Park at about 10:20 p.m. Sunday. He had been shot multiple times, police said. He was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Butler was known to sell marijuana, police said, and investigators believe that McCutchen and Hughes had been planning to rob him that night.

When Butler fought back, police allege, McCutchen shot him several times.

Police served search warrants at two locations in Antioch on Monday and recovered the gun they believe was used to shoot Butler as well as other evidence, police said.

They also arrested a third suspect, a 16-year-old boy, for allegedly attempting to hide or get rid of the gun. Prosecutors did not charge the boy, Jewett said.

Jewett said there is some evidence to suggest that McCutchen and Hughes were under the impression that Butler was in possession of a large amount of marijuana. There is also some evidence that they took some marijuana from Butler after the shooting.

McCutchen and Hughes are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez.