A Missouri woman has been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of her husband.
Melissa I. Hoffner-Allen, a 48-year-old woman from Kearney, Missouri, shot and killed her husband Ricky Allen, 50, deputies say.
According to the Clay County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting at the couple's home on Kountry Ridge Drive on Tuesday night. Upon arrival, they found Ricky Allen deceased from a gunshot wound.
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Hoffner-Allen was taken into custody at the scene and is currently being held in the Clay County Detention Center on a $250,000 bond.
Details surrounding the incident are still under investigation, but court records indicate that Hoffner-Allen called 911 after the shooting. She allegedly told detectives that her husband had strangled her, prompting her to retrieve her gun.
When she returned, she claims Allen told her, "Shoot me," and she fired a single shot to his chest.
Neighbors describe the couple as having a tumultuous relationship, often engaging in heated arguments. However, they were also known to be loving and supportive of each other at times.
A close friend of the couple, Kelly Manus, expressed shock and disbelief, stating that she had been with them earlier that evening, and everyone seemed fine.
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Hoffner-Allen made her initial court appearance via video from the detention center, where she appeared visibly distraught.
Her attorney argued for her release on bond, citing her lack of criminal history and the need to care for her 19-year-old daughter, whom she adopted as her own.
The judge, however, denied the request due to the serious nature of the charges.
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