The preliminary hearing for a man charged with murdering another man outside a Johnson City apartment complex last week was rescheduled because he has a new attorney.
Marcus Petenathan Gergish, 34, 1206 Flora Ave., Johnson City – charged with killing Timothy Peregoy Sr., 47, of Kingsport, April 3 at Westgate Village Apartments – was originally appointed the public defender’s office to represent him.
Because that office represented Peregoy and several other Peregoy family members in the past, there was a conflict with handling Gergish’s case.
General Sessions Judge Robert Lincoln appointed Patrick Denton to represent Gergish, but he hasn’t had sufficient time to talk with his new client. During Gergish’s brief appearance in court Thursday, Denton asked for a continuance, which state prosecutors didn’t oppose and Lincoln granted.
The new hearing date is April 24 at 1:30 p.m.
Peregoy died at the Johnson City Medical Center not long after police found him on a sidewalk at Westgate Village Apartments, 1735 Nathaniel Drive with two gunshot wounds.
Peregoy and his wife, whose name was not documented in court records, were apparently in Johnson City visiting his son.
According to Johnson City police investigators, Gergish was in Apartment No. 55, where Peregoy and his family were, to buy Suboxone. Suboxone is used to treat addition to opiates, which are prescribed for severe pain.
After the alleged transaction, Gergish left. A short time later, Peregoy, his wife and son also left a short time later. Witnesses told police they heard an altercation and saw Peregoy sitting in the driver’s seat of his vehicle and Gergish pointing a handgun at him. Gergish apparently saw the witnesses, pointed the gun at them and then back at Peregoy.
They overheard Gergish tell Peregoy to “give it up, give it up,” before the witnesses heard two shots. Gergish and another person ran from the scene, police said.
Johnson City police investigators have continued to decline to say if the weapon was recovered or what caliber bullets killed Peregoy.
Gergish is being held on a $100,000 bond.