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Man charged with murder in 'house of horrors' claims new case proves it was self-defense

MASONTOWN, Pa. — Two homicide cases that are one year apart are eerily similar.

Channel 11 started digging deeper into a 2018 case after covering a shockingly similar case last week.

Both men, a year apart, told police they met a woman online and she invited them to her Fayette County home where both said when they got there, they were attacked.

The defense attorney for Christopher Shellhammer is now insisting his client acted in self-defense.

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Text messages show a woman invited Shellhammer to her home in Masontown where she said she and her baby were home alone.

"He arrived at 9:48, at 9:53 he was on the phone with 911 with a broken nose, broken jaw and told the 911 operator he had been set up," said Michael Aubele, Shellhammer's defense attorney.

Shellhammer told the 911 operator he was attacked and shot someone, then said he was going to the police station.

"He drove straight to Masontown PD, didn't go home or stop, arrived at 955, on the way called an ambulance for himself and even for the man he just shot," Aubele said.

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Now, one year later, a very similar case is unfolding at the same house.

Channel 11 first reported last week about a case where police said the same woman met a man online and invited him over. When he got there, he said a man inside the home attacked him, held him against his will and beat him for days.

Shellhammer's mother told Channel 11 the only difference between the two cases is her son had a permit to carry a gun and used it in self-defense.

A man charged with murder in Fayette County claims a new case helps prove he acted in self-defense. We covered an...

Posted by WPXI Cara Sapida on Monday, January 28, 2019

"He did what he had to do to protect himself and the law gives him that right,* said Katherine Jones. "I want some common sense to take over and I want my son released from that jail."

Channel 11 contacted the Fayette County District Attorney Rich Bower for a comment on the case, but have not heard back.

There has been no trial date set yet for Shellhammer.