Bachman, 19, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the shooting of 14-year-old Dakari James on June 17, 2023, in the 1200 block of First Avenue North.

Dr. Jonathan Thompson, with the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner, performed James’ autopsy. He detailed four gunshot wounds on James’ body — one on the left side of the neck, one in the left arm pit area, one in the left upper outer arm area, and one in the lower left abdomen area.

Thompson stated that the bullets caused extensive damage to both lungs, the aorta, small intestine and caused blood to pool in the body cavity. He also stated that James’ blood alcohol content at the time of the autopsy was .137-percent. In Iowa, a person is considered legally intoxicated if they have a blood alcohol content of .08.

Larry Hedlund, investigator with the Webster County Attorney’s Office, took the stand and detailed his interview with Bachman hours after the shooting took place. Video of Hedlund’s interview was shown to the jury.

“I didn’t want to kill him,” said Bachman in the interview at the Law Enforcement Center.

At the time of the interview, Bachman was not under arrest.

Bachman told Hedlund that he had smoked marijuana earlier in the day, but was not high and had not been drinking that day. He said that he and James had been arguing via text and Snapchat messages throughout the day and had agreed to fight.

Bachman willingly showed Hedlund the text and Snapchat messages during the interview, many of which were read or played out loud.

“That’s the type of stuff that gets you killed,” James was quoted as having said via text message in the interview.

Bachman told Hedlund “he didn’t want to fight me. I think he wanted to kill me.”

According to Bachman, James was mad that he wasn’t invited to a couples camp-out at Bachman’s residence the previous night. Previous testimony from witnesses stated that Bachman’s girlfriend, Kiera Summers, and James were arguing that night via text when Summers called James a racist slur and James called her an expletive. Bachman said the group laughed it off the night prior, but James was still angry the next day.

“I’ve never seen him so mad,” Bachman told Hedlund. “There was no feud from my end.”

Bachman told Hedlund that at approximately 11:30 a.m. on June 17, 2023, he anticipated James to come to his home to fist fight. But James’ brother began messaging at approximately 11:50 a.m. stating that he was going to bring people to “come beat and rob” him.

Bachman stated that when he began receiving those messages, he retrieved his 22-rifle from his bedroom. He later stated that he pulled the gun out after James slammed the gate twice.

“I do regret shooting him” said Bachman in the interview. “I didn’t think it’d kill him. I can’t believe he’s dead.”

Hedlund stated on the stand that he believed Bachman’s intention was to go to the gate and fight James.

Bachman told Hedlund in the interview that he had legally purchased the rifle from Buck’s Guns shortly after his 18th birthday.