Bend, OR – A Bend man was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree attempted assault in a case involving a violent baseball-bat attack on his roommate. Timothy John Boyd, 66, was originally set to go on trial Wednesday for the August 2024 assault that left his 66-year-old roommate, Stephen Jay Steria, with critical injuries. Instead, Boyd entered an Alford plea, admitting that the evidence against him would likely result in a conviction, while maintaining that he acted in self-defense.
Boyd, who called 911 following the attack to report hitting Steria in the head with the bat, had faced charges of attempted murder and unlawful use of a weapon in addition to the assault charge. As part of the plea agreement, the attempted murder and unlawful use of a weapon charges were dropped.
At the emotional sentencing hearing, Steria delivered a victim impact statement, recounting the severe injuries he sustained in the assault. He spent four days in a coma and nearly three weeks in the hospital, with ongoing medical treatments. Steria expressed his frustration with the plea deal, stating, “Thirty months – he’s getting off light,” while acknowledging that he had agreed to the deal to avoid the uncertainties of a trial.
Boyd’s defense attorney, Evander McIver, argued that Boyd had acted in self-defense, citing a prior incident in which Steria had allegedly attacked Boyd by putting him in a chokehold. McIver also claimed that Steria had been intoxicated and had made threatening comments toward Boyd on the night of the attack, prompting Boyd to grab a bat in an attempt to protect himself. McIver admitted that Boyd may have gone too far, but insisted that Boyd had acted out of fear for his safety.
In his own statement, Boyd spoke by video link from jail, reiterating that he had acted in self-defense after Steria allegedly threatened him and backed him into a corner. Boyd said that he tried to avoid conflict but was forced to defend himself when provoked. “I don’t want to go to prison,” Boyd told the court, expressing regret and a desire to turn his life around by stopping alcohol use and seeking rehabilitation.
Deschutes County Circuit Judge Beth Bagley acknowledged the tragic nature of the case, noting that “there are no winners here.” She stated that the outcome of a trial was uncertain and that everyone involved had agreed to the plea deal. Judge Bagley imposed the agreed-upon sentence, which includes eligibility for credit for time served, participation in prison programs, and three years of post-prison supervision. As part of the conditions, Boyd was also ordered to have no contact with Steria.
The sentencing brings closure to a case that was marked by an intense dispute between two roommates, but the repercussions of the assault will continue to affect both men, with Steria still recovering from his injuries and Boyd facing time behind bars.
