A woman was sentenced Tuesday to 27 years in prison for 2021 fatal shooting of her boyfriend in Middletown despite her claims of self-defense, officials said.
Melody Christensen, 47, was sentenced by Judge Julia D. Dewey to 27 years in prison for fatally shooting her boyfriend on South Main Street in Middletown on March 1, 2021, according to a release from the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice.
Christensen had pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter with a firearm in Superior Court in Middletown on Jan. 23, the DCJ said.
At the time of the shooting, Christensen told police that she had acted in self-defense when her boyfriend attacked her during a fight in their new apartment, according to court records.
Christensen alleged that her boyfriend swung at her while she tried to defend herself with her own revolver, causing her to shoot herself before turning the gun on him, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
The investigation by the Middletown Police Department showed that, during a verbal argument, Christensen reportedly took a gun out of a backpack and pointed it at the victim, the DCJ said.
Christensen fired three shots at the victim before shooting herself, officials said.
Both were taken to Middlesex Hospital, where he was pronounced dead and Christensen was treated.
An autopsy showed Christensen’s boyfriend had signs of defensive wounds and that her retelling of the events that night included several inconsistencies, according to court records.
“State’s Attorney (Michael A.) Gailor praised the work of the Middletown Police Department citing the thoroughness of the investigation, especially in light of the claim of self-defense,” the DCJ said.
