New evidence of a second shooting in Duncan, Oklahoma, just hours before Australian baseballer Chris Lane was gunned down may foil a defence argument the killing was an accident.
One of the three boys charged with Mr Lane's murder, 16-year-old James Edwards, told a preliminary hearing in Duncan earlier this month his co-accused thought the .22-calibre revolver that fired the fatal bullet into Mr Lane's back was loaded with blanks.
Lawyers for the alleged shooter, 16-year-old Chancey Luna, jumped on the testimony, telling reporters after the hearing they were "appropriately satisfied" Mr Lane's death was not pre-meditated murder.
However, The Oklahoman newspaper reported on Tuesday two parked cars were shot in Duncan in the lead-up to Mr Lane's death.
"Somebody shot at my car," Noe Sanchez said.
A donkey was also shot in a paddock outside of Duncan hours before Mr Lane was killed, adding to the police theory the boys were on a "killing spree".
Mr Sanchez said his Chevrolet Cavalier's bumper was hit by a bullet and his brother's pick-up truck, also parked outside his house, was hit in the early hours of August 15 or 16.
Mr Lane was jogging along a Duncan street just before 3pm on August 16 when authorities allege a car driven by Michael Jones, 18, and with Edwards and Luna as passengers, came up behind the Australian and Luna fired the single shot into his back.
The 22-year-old from Melbourne, who had a baseball scholarship at Oklahoma's East Central University, died minutes later on the side of the road.
Edwards, who has become a prosecution witness, told the February 4 preliminary hearing Jones said Jones and Luna shot the donkey.
Duncan police chief Danny Ford told AAP previously he believed the trio was on a killing spree.
Chief Ford said after Mr Lane was shot, the trio drove to the home of another teenager, Chris Johnson, with the plan to shoot him, but police were called and they arrested the boys.
Gun residue was found on Luna's and Jones' hands, but Edwards was clean, police told the preliminary hearing.
