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Inset: Melinda Grigsby (Macon County Sheriff”s Office). Background: The Macon County Jail in Macon, Missouri (Google Maps).
During a heated dinner argument in Missouri, a woman allegedly shot a man in the chest over a dispute involving his phone, according to authorities.
Court records indicate that Melinda Grigsby, 39, is now facing charges of first-degree murder, as reported by Law&Crime.
Grigsby is currently detained in the Macon County Jail, with no option for bond.
On January 23, Grigsby was at a residence in Ethel with 51-year-old Lawrence Jackson, as reported by local ABC and CBS affiliate KTVO. The home was also occupied by several minors, and Grigsby was preparing dinner.
The evening turned tense due to issues surrounding “the content on his cell phone related to relationship issues,” detailed in a probable cause statement filed in Macon County court. When Jackson attempted to address the situation with Grigsby, she allegedly struck him in the face twice with a spatula, resulting in bruising and a cut, according to police reports.
The man reportedly responded by grabbing Grigsby and placing her in a headlock, with one of the minors witnessing this and “pushing on [Jackson’s] head” so he would let go, according to the charging document. The man did so and went into the living room, while Grigsby “finished cooking dinner and sent the juveniles to their room.”
The suspect then followed Jackson into the living room, and they continued to talk and argue, authorities said. “Grigsby then got up and grabbed her purse, which contained a firearm, and went into the master bedroom,” checking the magazine and adding more ammo to it from the bedroom closet, police allege.
The court document stated that “one of the juveniles heard Grigsby banging on the walls and door while she was inside the master bedroom.” Then Jackson allegedly walked to the bedroom and they started to argue there.
“Grigsby stated that she dropped ammo on the floor when she had loaded the magazine to the firearm,” the probable cause statement reads.
“[Jackson] asked her where the gun was,” authorities went on. “She then drew the firearm and discharged it, striking [Jackson] in the chest.”
One of the minors reportedly heard Jackson say, “Why, Melinda, why?”
Deputies with the Macon County Sheriff’s Office responded to the home just before 6 p.m. and found Jackson “with a single gunshot wound to the chest.”
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Grigsby was arrested and booked into jail. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Monday.
The court document did not detail the relationship between the victim and suspect.