She Didn’t Want to Pay for a Divorce. So She Shot Her Husband in His Sleep and the unexpected took place

Melanie Biggins, a 42-year-old woman from Missouri, found herself in a situation that ended in tragedy. She was married to Ettienne L. McEwan for nine years, but their relationship had been struggling. For the last year and a half of their marriage, Melanie had been having an affair. She wanted to leave her husband, but she felt trapped because she didn’t have the money to file for a divorce. Instead of finding another way out, she made a terrible decision that changed everything.

On August 31, 2022, Melanie called 911 in the early hours of the morning. She told the police that an intruder had broken into their home and shot her husband while they were both asleep in bed. When the police arrived, they found Melanie trying to save her husband by performing CPR. She claimed that she had woken up to the sound of a gunshot and saw her husband had been shot under his chin. She said she ran downstairs and saw the front door open but didn’t see anyone.

At first, the police believed her story, but things didn’t add up. Melanie initially told them that the only gun in the house was her husband’s rifle. However, as the investigation continued, she admitted that she had bought a handgun from a pawn shop. The police also found a pillow and blanket with bullet holes on the floor, and they discovered a .38 Special handgun hidden under a bunk bed in another room. These clues made it clear that Melanie’s story about an intruder wasn’t true.

Eventually, Melanie broke down and confessed. She admitted that she had shot her husband. She explained that she had been unhappy in their marriage and wanted to end it but felt she couldn’t afford a divorce. In a moment of desperation, she made the tragic choice to kill him instead.

Melanie was originally charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action, which could have led to a life sentence. However, she made a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. Because of this plea deal, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison instead of facing a much harsher punishment.