VALLEY – The man charged with shooting a 29-year-old man following an altercation in his yard has posted a $50,000 bond and is awaiting his preliminary hearing in February.

Chambers County Circuit Clerk Lisa Burdette said Patrick Templeton, 50, had an initial appearance with a district judge on Jan. 4, the date of his arrest, and his preliminary hearing will be at 9 a.m., on Feb. 5 at the Chambers County Courthouse in LaFayette.

Templeton faces murder charges after allegedly shooting Justin Meadows outside of Templeton’s home on the 1000 block of County Road 495.

Valley Police said Meadows went to the residence to meet with Templeton’s stepson. When he learned the stepson wasn’t home, he attempted to leave the property but his vehicle was stuck in the mud.

Authorities say as Meadows tried to remove his vehicle from the mud, Templeton was awakened by the noise and went to check on its source.

Once outside, police said Templeton confronted Meadows, and a physical altercation ensued. After the fight, Templeton went back inside his home to get his .22 caliber rifle and returned outside to begin shooting at Meadows, who was still near his vehicle, according to Valley police.

When police arrived, Meadows was found deceased in the yard with a gunshot wound. Templeton was arrested without incident and once at the police department, he quickly confessed to the alleged crime and gave a written admission, Valley Police Department Major Mike Reynolds said.

The preliminary hearing will establish probable cause to move the case forward to a grand jury. The next grand jury two-week cycle starts in late January, and the next one won’t be until August, Burdette said.

If an indictment is reached during the grand jury, then an arraignment date is held in the circuit court where Templeton would plead guilty or not guilty. If he pleads not guilty, the case will move to the jury trial cycles. Burdette said there are two cycles for jury trials — one in April and one in November.

While the case is in district court, Burdette said Judge Colvin Milford is presiding over the case. Templeton is represented by a court-appointed attorney Andrew Maddox. Maddox did not return a message left Thursday afternoon.