Medicine Park resident charged in fatal beating

A man accused of killing another in a bar fight is free on $75,000 bond.

Rian Parker Goebel, 33, of Medicine Park, made his initial appearance Monday in Comanche County District Court where he was charged with a felony count of first-degree manslaughter, records indicate. The crime is punishable by no less than four years in prison.

Comanche County Sheriff’s deputies were called around 11:45 p.m. April 10 to the Medicine Park Tavern, 198 E. Lake Drive, regarding a disturbance. They arrived to find patrons giving CPR to Johnny Hocutt, who was lying on the ground near the bar entrance and with injuries to his face, the probable cause affidavit states. He was pronounced dead by EMTs at the scene at 12:12 a.m.

Witnesses identified Goebel as having been in a fight with Hocutt. Detective William Torres stated he spoke with witnesses who offered consistent stories.

According to the witnesses, Hocutt was readying to leave and was saying goodbye to the patrons. When he got to Goebel, a bar acquaintance, Hocutt said something and began punching Goebel in the face, the affidavit states. Witnesses said Goebel began fighting back, knocking Hocutt to the ground and then got on top of him and began punching him in the face before a bar employee separated them and pushed Goebel outside, Torres stated. Goebel waited at the scene until deputies arrived.

Goebel told investigators he’d made a “smart mouth reply” to Hocutt and when he began getting punched in the face, he realized they were really fighting, according to the affidavit. He denied hitting Hocutt in the face more than once while he was on the ground, Torres stated. When confronted with the witnesses’ stories, Goebel changed his story and got upset, according to the detective. Goebel denied fearing for his life.

Records indicate Goebel returns to court at 3 p.m. June 18 for his preliminary hearing conference.