Affidavit: Police doubt woman’s claim of self-defense after killing of husband
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- After police responded to a reported shooting in the Rockrimmon area of Colorado Springs last week, they found that the shooter claimed she killed her husband in self-defense.
But as her story unfolded, investigators quickly realized that 54-year-old Amee Anderson had another option instead of shooting her husband, 62-year-old James Gregory Anderson.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by KRDO, police dispatch got the call from Amee around 5:45 a.m. on March 18. She was reportedly hysterical, and it was hard to obtain information from her, but she said she shot her husband at their home on Winter Hawk Circle.
Officers arrived and found her laying on the living room floor with injuries to her hand, including cuts to a finger, between her knuckles, and on her left forearm. They also found Greg on the floor in the master bedroom next to a handgun.
Amee told investigators during a police interview that things were normal the day before the shooting, but she mentioned that Greg became agitated when she declined to smoke medical marijuana with him. She then went to bed shortly before 11 p.m. and told police it was normal for Greg to fall asleep in his recliner and then join her in bed later, according to the affidavit.
Amee told police she was woken up by "fidgeting" from Greg's side of the bed and him loudly screaming, the affidavit says. Amee says that Greg's neck was bleeding and he was holding a "large hunting style knife," which she struggled to get control over. She said that's what led to the cuts on her hand and arm.
The affidavit says that Amee went to the living room to call 911 and heard a crash after Greg had fallen. She helped him to the bed and when she returned with the phone, Greg had a handgun on the bed -- Amee told the detective she took the gun and stepped back to the doorway of the bedroom.
Greg reportedly continued to yell at Amee, and she said he threatened harm to her and the family pets. Amee also told police that Greg was "blaming the coronavirus and stating he was not going to live through it."
When Greg stood up and took one step forward, Amee shot him two or three times, according to the affidavit. She then called 911 and passed out shortly after police arrived.
The detective questioned why Amee didn't just leave the bedroom since she had a weapon and a phone, and Greg had limited mobility.
Amee told the detective that she was "just scared" and then said in hindsight she should have left.
Colorado Springs police arrested her on a first-degree murder charge and said her claim of self-defense "is not valid" after consulting with a senior deputy district attorney. The charge also constitutes domestic violence, according to the affidavit.
