Billy Barger arraigned Monday

Nevada Daily Mail

On Monday, in circuit court in Nevada, William J. "Billy" Barger was arraigned on four counts of burglary and four counts of armed criminal action in relation to the home invasion in November 2009 in which Barger and others are alleged to have broken into the home of Chuck and Linda Scammel of Richards.

Chuck Scammel was shot once in the right hand with a shotgun during the crime.

Barger allegedly organized and committed the break-in in order to learn from Scammel the whereabouts of a Jeffrey Muller. The three other men charged in the home invasion and later kidnapping of Muller are Andrew Wadel, Doug Stangeland, and Lonnie Swarnes.

Muller was kidnapped from the parking lot of his pet food store in Newton City, N.J., and was being transported back to Vernon County when their vehicle developed engine trouble in Lake Ozark and Muller was able to escape. The manager of the convenience store notified authorities and soon the victim was freed and the kidnappers were in jail.

The case in New Jersey was given precedence and now that those proceedings are complete, Barger has been returned to Nevada for prosecution here.

The next step will be a case management conference, which has been set for Aug. 8, in Vernon County circuit court.