A 42-year-old woman in Missouri has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing her husband in 2022. Melanie Biggins shot her husband, Etienne L. McEwan, in the back of the head while he was asleep in their bed. She admitted to the crime, stating that she couldn’t afford to divorce him and had been involved in a relationship with another man for over a year. Biggins had hoped to leave her husband but felt trapped by their financial struggles.
On August 31, 2022, Kansas City police responded to a shooting at the couple’s home. Upon arrival, they found the couple’s two young daughters, aged 10 and 11, who flagged down the officers. The children led the officers upstairs, where they discovered Biggins attempting to perform CPR on her husband, who was lying in a pool of blood. Emergency responders later pronounced McEwan dead at the scene.
Initially, Biggins claimed that she had been awoken by the sound of a gunshot and found her husband bleeding but did not see who shot him. She told investigators that she went downstairs and discovered the front door open, suggesting a potential home invasion. However, police quickly ruled out a suicide and found no signs of forced entry. Evidence at the scene indicated that the shooting had not been a random attack.
A pillow with blood and a hole in it was found on the floor near the bed, and a bullet was located inside the pillow. A blanket with gunpowder burns and a hole was also found on the floor. In the closet, investigators discovered a black handgun case, which contained a .38 Special revolver, the same caliber weapon used in the killing. The firearm was found under a bunk bed in another room, and one spent shell casing was still inside the gun.
Biggins’ two daughters told investigators that they had been woken by the sound of a gunshot. They went downstairs to find their mother sitting on the couch, looking visibly shaken. The children then went upstairs and discovered their father lying on the bed, bleeding. One of the girls called the police, and Biggins was instructed to perform CPR. While administering CPR, Biggins allegedly heard her husband gurgling blood.
In a second interview with the police, Biggins’ story changed. She now claimed that she had never left the bedroom before the police arrived, contradicting her earlier statement in which she mentioned finding the front door open. Additionally, she initially told investigators that the only gun in the house was her husband’s rifle, which was stored in the closet. However, when confronted with purchase records, she admitted to buying the .38 Special in July 2022. She could not explain how the gun ended up under the bed in a different room.
Biggins also admitted to her extramarital affair and her desire to leave her husband. She explained that she had been in a relationship with another man for a year and a half and had hoped to divorce McEwan but was unable to do so because of their financial difficulties.
Originally facing charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action, Biggins reached a plea deal with prosecutors. She pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in exchange for the dismissal of the other charges. Judge Jalilah Otto sentenced her to 10 years in a state correctional facility for the slaying of her husband.
