LA PLATA, Md. — A dispute concerning “narcotics, firearms, and a woman” reportedly led to a quadruple amputee cornhole player fatally shooting a passenger in his vehicle last week, according to a legal document ESPN acquired.
Dayton Webber, a former professional competitor in the American Cornhole League, is accused of fatally shooting Brad Wells on March 22 while operating his Tesla in southern Maryland.
Two individuals occupying the vehicle’s rear seats, whose identities were withheld in legal filings, informed law enforcement that Webber and Wells had a fierce disagreement preceding the gunfire incident.
Currently, Webber is confronting accusations of felony murder and assault, and he is scheduled to attend a bail review session on Wednesday. ESPN reached out to his legal representatives for their perspective.
This incident has sparked widespread intrigue and garnered global media attention throughout the last seven days, as numerous individuals questioned the feasibility of an individual with four amputated limbs shooting a car occupant while operating a vehicle. A video on YouTube showing Webber manipulating and discharging a handgun has since accumulated hundreds of thousands of watches.
Wells and Webber shared the same birth month, being friends who both found pleasure in hunting and motocross. They seemingly shared a romantic interest in Tori Mattingly. Mattingly informed TMZ during the weekend that she had a short relationship with Wells, following approximately four years spent with Webber. Furthermore, a legal document submitted by Webber in 2024 alludes to Mattingly’s association with Wells.
The immediate clarity is lacking as to whether Mattingly is the female mentioned in the dispute that, according to witnesses, police were told came before the shooting. She failed to respond to several inquiries from ESPN.
Within a 2023 biographical sketch, Webber’s mother and father informed ESPN that his limbs were surgically removed at ten months of age in a life-saving measure, following his contraction of a bloodstream infection resulting in sepsis.
He subsequently spent a minimum of two years as a professional cornhole athlete, attaining national positions of 238th in singles and 118th in doubles for the 2023-24 season, which marked his final appearance in the ACL’s standings. The ACL recognized Webber’s apprehension in a social media announcement, yet stated it would provide no additional remarks.
Webber specified his profession in legal filings from the previous week as a “self-employed inspirational speaker [and professional] cornhole athlete,” reporting an annual net earnings of $100,000 for the preceding year.
Based on legal documents, Webber is accused of shooting Wells during operation of the vehicle, subsequently requesting the two rear-seat occupants to assist in extricating the deceased’s remains from the car. They informed police of their refusal and departure from the vehicle while Webber made his escape. Wells’ remains were subsequently discovered in the garden of a brick residence approximately ten miles distant.
Meanwhile, Webber was traced several hours afterward to Charlottesville, Virginia, having halted there for medical attention at a hospital due to an undisclosed affliction, as per legal filings. Law enforcement discovered his Tesla adjacent to a Wawa fueling station.
The automobile represents one of multiple evidentiary items currently under scrutiny by law enforcement, based on court documents. Given that Tesla automobiles feature several external cameras aiding in autonomous driving and protective functions, authorities secured a search warrant for the USB drive within Webber’s car to “safeguard any visual proof” pertaining to the purported offense.
Based on a separate search authorization, law enforcement is additionally scrutinizing his attire and collected DNA samples from his limbs, under the presumption that Webber physically contacted Wells for the purpose of extracting him from the vehicle. Within legal records, police indicated that hospital physicians observed no hemorrhaging or wounds on Webber, notwithstanding the presence of blood on his garment.