Jeffrey Ferguson

A man is behind bars on charges he threatened to kill his brother after showing up Saturday at his sibling's home in northern Butler County.

Two days earlier, authorities said, the defendant, Jeffrey L. Ferguson, 60, of Mercer Township, had showed up outside his brother's workplace in Slippery Rock after making another ominous threat.

Ferguson is facing misdemeanor and summary charges in each incident. He is in the Butler County Prison on $100,000 bond.

His brother, a nurse at the Slippery Rock University Student Health Center, notified SRU police to report the defendant had called him about 11:40 p.m. Wednesday, threatening his life, according to charging documents.

The suspect about 1 a.m. was seen driving a pickup truck that pulled into a parking lot across from the Student Health Center on Campus Drive, where his brother was working.

Police removed Ferguson from the truck and placed him in handcuffs.

District Judge Wayne Seibel arraigned him on charges of terroristic threats and disorderly conduct. He was released on unsecured bail and ordered to have no contact with his brother.

But on Saturday, police were notified that Ferguson was at his brother's property in Mercer Township, documents said. This time, troopers got the call.

The sibling told police that the defendant possibly had a gun and was threatening to kill him. As troopers got there, police said, they saw the suspect driving away in a pickup. They stopped him.

No gun was reportedly found. But in the truck's cup holder was an open can of beer, police said.

Later, during an interview, Ferguson admitted “attempting to purchase a Hi-Point handgun,” documents said, “and acknowledged that (he) would use the handgun on (his brother).”

Seibel arraigned the defendant on charges of terroristic threats, trespass and driving a vehicle with an open container of alcohol.

Preliminary hearings in both cases are set Wednesday. Online court records did not indicate if Ferguson has an attorney.