New details have emerged in the tragic shooting of Tennessee police officer James “Chip” Smith after his wife, Melissa, was charged with his murder.
As CrazyAmerica reported earlier this week, 41-year-old Smith was blasted in the stomach by his 37-year-old wife on Saturday night after they got into what police called in the immediate aftermath, a “domestic incident”. He died in hospital shortly afterwards.
Now, new information has been presented by prosecutors in relation to the arraignment of Melissa Smith. She has been charged with first degree murder and transported to the Sevier County Jail for booking.
A court affidavit obtained by local outlet ABC News Channel 9 said that a .380 semi-automatic pistol was found near the scene.
Officials say Mrs. Smith told police the two were in a “verbal altercation” inside a car. That’s when Officer Smith pulled over, and the two got out and continued to argue.
The affidavit says Mrs. Smith admitted to police that she returned to the car, retrieved a gun, and shot her husband.
The affidavit also says Mrs. Smith smelled of booze. She told officers the two had been at Old Tennessee Distillery Co. for two hours before driving to Winfield Dunn Parkway, where the fatal altercation occurred.
Officers said when they arrived on the scene they found a man suffering what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
When police reached him, Smith was lying on his back on the grass with his wife kneeling down next to him with her hands on his stomach, court documents state.
The critically injured man was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center where doctors frantically tried to save him, but in vain.
There is still no further information on what the couple were arguing about.