A man who shot two people in 2010 has entered a guilty plea in Greene County Criminal Court to two counts of criminal attempt to commit first-degree murder.

Harry Joseph Chase, 46, formerly of Cassi Road, Chuckey, was sentenced to 17 years in state prison, at 30 percent service.

The plea avoided a trial for Chase, who was charged with shooting and seriously wounding Chasity Morton and David Brian Shackelford on Aug. 22, 2010.

"It was satisfactory to our office," said Assistant District Attorney General Cecil Mills Jr.

Chase was indicted on the charges in May. He was sentenced Sept. 4 by Third Judicial District Criminal Court Judge John F. Dugger Jr.

Court documents state that Chase did attempt to "intentionally and premeditatedly kill" Chasity Morton and Brian Shackelford.

Shackelford and Morton lived in the same West Bernard Avenue apartment.

According to a Greeneville police warrant, Chase arrived armed at the residence and told Morton "he was tired of people stealing from him and he was going to stop it."

Chase told the victims "he had shot people before and he had nothing to lose, and fired a shot inside the residence," the warrant said.

The defendant then told Morton "to get on her knees and say her goodbyes."

Morton was shot in the shoulder and head as she tried to get out of the apartment, the warrant said.

The warrant said Morton knew Chase "by name and sight," and identified him to police.

Police found several spent .22-caliber cartridges at the scene of the shooting.

Morton was released from the hospital the day after the shootings.

Shackelford suffered gunshot wounds to the head and hand in the incident and was hospitalized for an extended period of time.

Until his arrest several days after the shootings, Chase was on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's statewide "Ten Most Wanted" list.

He surrendered at the Greeneville law office of Todd Shelton, who contacted police and told them Chase wanted to turn himself in.

Chase remains held at the Greene County Detention Center pending assignment to a state Department of Correction facility.