Hunter Who Allegedly Shot Neighbor He Mistook For Deer Charged With Manslaughter

A hunter who allegedly shot and killed his neighbor last week after he mistook her for a deer was indicted Thursday for manslaughter in the second degree as well as hunting after legal hours, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation of New York.

The hunter, identified as Thomas Jadlowski, surrendered to police as the person responsible for shooting Rosemary Billquist, the 43-year-old woman he allegedly shot while she was walking her dogs in Sherman, New York. Officials responded to a call from Jadlowski about the accidental shooting just after 5:20 p.m. on Nov. 22. Upon arriving at the scene officials found Billquist unresponsive and suffering from a gunshot wound to the hip about 150 yards behind her home, according to the DEC. Billquist was taken to UPMC Hamot in Pennsylvania for her injuries where she subsequently died.

Jadlowski reportedly told police that he had seen what he thought was a deer about 200 yards off and had fired a single shot from his gun. He said that after firing he heard a scream and found not a deer, but his neighbor, Billquist, after which he called the police to report the hunting-related shooting. In the state of New York, big-game hunting, like that of deer, is legally allowed between sunrise and sunset, but on Nov. 22 the sun set at 4:51 p.m. in Sherman. Officials say that the call came in “well beyond the legal close of the daily hunting period,” the grounds for which Jadlowski has been charged.

The charges against Jadlowski carry a sentence of five to 15 years in state prison should he be found guilty. Jadlowski entered a plea of not guilty in Chautauqua Court and his bail was set at $50,000 cash or $100,000 property. He’s scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 29 of next year.

“ Responsible hunting is paramount to the safety of anyone enjoying the outdoors. This incident is a tragic reminder of the importance that hunting laws be followed. This incident was completely avoidable. My sincerest condolences go out to the Billquist and Jafarjian families,” said Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson.