The man accused of shooting and killing a Fortuna man on Christmas Eve will face trial and will likely testify on his own behalf, officials said.

Thomas Dowdy Jr., who was 22 at the time, is accused of shooting David Steed on Dec. 24, 2007, as the two argued in Dowdy’s yard on the 2000 block of S. Third Street.

Steed, who was 43, died from two gunshot wounds, while Dowdy was injured when Steed’s son allegedly drove a pickup truck through a fence after hearing gunshots and struck both men.

Dowdy’s trial is scheduled to begin June 9 in Humboldt County Superior Court. He has a trial confirmation hearing on May 20.

Humboldt County Deputy District Attorney Ben McLaughlin said he anticipates the trial to last between six and eight weeks and expects about 21 witnesses to be called. The presiding judge will be assigned on the day of trial.

Dowdy has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and is in jail on $1 million bail. His attorney, public defender Blair Angus, couldn’t be reached for comment late Tuesday afternoon.

Dowdy turned himself in to the Fortuna Police Department Jan. 22, nearly a month after the shooting. A warrant for his arrest was issued earlier the same day. He was seriously injured following the incident and treated at a Redding hospital.

Dowdy and Steed argued over the theft of firewood at about 10 p.m. Christmas Eve, a probable cause statement for a warrant said. Steed allegedly made death threats to Dowdy and his girlfriend at their home and Dowdy armed himself with a hunting rifle and followed Steed outside.

Dowdy admitted that he fired the rifle several times in the direction of Steed.

Evan Steed, the 18-year-old son of David Steed, told police he saw his injured father and observed Dowdy standing over his father with a rifle pointed at his father’s head, the probable cause statement said. “Evan then accelerated toward the fence and closed his eyes,” the statement said. “Evan explained that he was not going to allow his father to be executed.”

Evidence collected at the time includes blood swabs, Steed’s deceased body, the Ford F-150 pickup truck, the hunting rifle and expended shell casings. Officers also seized a box of ammunition, a gun cleaning kit and rifle case reportedly found in Dowdy’s bedroom.

It’s unknown whether alcoholic or drug substances were in Dowdy’s system at the time, and when reached Tuesday afternoon, Deputy Coroner Roy Horton said he’d just been subpoenaed and couldn’t comment on the case.