A Merrillville man is on trial this week for a motel slaying.

Barry “Blu” Billingsley, 45, is charged with murder and aggravated battery in the Oct. 2, 2021, shooting death of Anthony Gibbs, 36, of Highland.

He has pleaded not guilty.

Police called to the Economy Inn, 8275 Louisiana St., found Gibbs “unresponsive” around 6 p.m. on the sidewalk outside, shot in the face and leg, according to court documents.

His girlfriend was sitting on stairs nearby, shot in the foot, the affidavit states. Her pit bull was also wounded in the leg.

The shooting was “over nothing,” she later said.

A witness said Gibbs and his girlfriend, among others, stayed at the motel at different points.

She tried to rent a room that day, but couldn’t because she only had a photo of her identification. Gibbs was on a “do not rent list,” according to court documents.

About an hour before the shooting, they were at a different motel, where she saw an acquaintance and asked for a ride to a Super 8 to get some things and bring them back.

“Hold on,” the woman said before pulling into a spot in front of a room. Inside, Billingsley told another man to get Gibbs to leave, who was sitting on a chair outside the room.

“Oh, no, no, no, back up, I’m not helping y’all,” Billingsley’s friend said.

Just then, two police officers drove by. Billingsley told them to move along “unless they were buying something,” court records said.

The couple went to Economy Inn, where the woman failed to get a room without her ID.

The woman saw a friend of hers and went up to chat with her in the SUV, court documents said.

Billingsley appeared from a room, with a gun in his pocket, then stepped outside, getting into an argument with Gibbs, according to the affidavit.

“Didn’t I tell you not to come around here,” Billingsley said.

“All right dude, I’m leaving,” Gibbs said, appearing to back away, documents said.

As Gibbs leaned down to grab his bags, his girlfriend heard gunshots and felt her foot “burning” and her dog was yelping from getting shot, the court documents said.

She didn’t realize Gibbs had been shot until she saw him on the ground.

Deputy Prosecutors Judy Massa and Cole Galloway are assigned. Defense lawyer Casey McCloskey is representing Billingsley.

mcolias@post-trib.com