INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — An Independence neighborhood is now finding out the woman who was screaming for help after allegedly finding her 65-year-old husband dead, is now charged in his murder.
Kirstin Stephens, 49, is charged with first degree murder after investigators say she shot and killed her husband with a rifle.
“I just had a funny feeling. Things didn’t feel right,” neighbor Mary Rezaiekhaligh said.
Rezaiekhaligh said she’d often hear yelling coming from their home, but on March 7, neighbors heard panic.
Stephens ran next door yelling, “They killed him!” She claimed she came home and found her husband Charles dead, bleeding from his mouth.
“Some things didn’t make sense at all. Nothing was stolen. Nobody disliked Charlie,” Rezaiekhaligh said.
Investigators found her gut instinct was right. They found a rifle under a jacuzzi in the home with Kirstin’s DNA. It was the weapon they say she used to shoot and kill her husband.
“Not surprised,” Rezaiekhaligh said
Investigators say the couple were heavy gamblers and sold their home for back taxes.
On the day of the murder, Kirstin had the purchaser of the home over. He told police he noticed someone completely covered up in bed and Kirstin told him it was her father.
Court documents also show Kirstin told witnesses her “husband was worth more dead than alive.”
“There’s still some uneasiness in the neighborhood. I don’t think you get over that kind of thing right away,” Rezaiekhaligh said.
And even though they’re relieved to have Kirstin out of the neighborhood, they miss Charles. A man they say was one of their most friendly neighbors.
“He was you know, you yelled ‘hi’ to each other. But now he’s not there to yell ‘hi.’”
Stephens admitted to police that she was having an affair.
Police say they arrested Stephens Friday in Cass County. If convicted of first degree murder, Stephens could spend anywhere from 10 years to life in prison. She’s being held on $300,000 bond. Her next court appearance is June 25.
Earlier report:
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