'She was pretty open': Woman shot and killed husband who was sitting alone watching TV because she was annoyed with him for bothering her, authorities say – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)
Russellville, Ala. – A 65-year-old woman has been charged with murder after fatally shooting her husband as he sat alone in a recliner watching television. The shooting occurred Sunday evening at the couple’s home on Duncan Creek Road, roughly 20 miles south of Muscle Shoals. Authorities say the woman called 911 herself and admitted to firing the single shot that killed her 69-year-old husband.
The Incident on Duncan Creek Road
Deputies from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 911 call just before 7:30 p.m. They found Timothy Clutts dead in the living room with a single gunshot wound to the chest. The handgun used in the shooting was recovered from the top of a cooler inside the residence. Investigators determined that Sheri Mitchell-Clutts had fired the fatal round. The victim had been sitting undisturbed in his recliner when the shot was fired. No signs of a struggle were reported at the scene. Mitchell-Clutts remained at the home and spoke with arriving deputies.
Two Accounts From the Suspect
Mitchell-Clutts offered investigators two versions of events, both ending in the same outcome. She first claimed she felt threatened throughout the day because her husband kept checking on her while she recovered from open-heart surgery performed two weeks earlier. She said she retrieved the gun in case he returned to her room. When he instead went to watch television, she left her room, located him in the living room, and fired the shot. Authorities noted that the second account aligned more closely with physical evidence at the scene.
Investigators Note Unusual Openness
Sheriff Shannon Oliver described the case as unusually straightforward. “There’s a number of cases where someone does something like this,” Oliver told WAFF. “You’re actually having to track them down and find them and build evidence based on the scene. And in this situation she was pretty open.” Deputies reviewed six years of call logs and found no prior domestic-related incidents involving the couple. Oliver added that the lack of previous reports raised additional questions about what prompted the shooting. Mitchell-Clutts appeared visibly upset at the scene, though investigators said her demeanor alone did not explain the events.
Charges and Detention Status
Mitchell-Clutts faces a charge of murder of a family member with a gun while in the commission of domestic violence. She is being held without bond in the Franklin County Jail. The investigation remains active as authorities continue to review the couple’s history and the circumstances surrounding the shooting. The case highlights how quickly a domestic situation can escalate even in the absence of prior reported conflicts. Law enforcement continues to examine the details to determine what led to the fatal decision.