Sunday, March 28, 2010

Woman sentenced to life without parole for shooting ex-"girlfriend" after argument


A Manatee, FL woman who was convicted of killing her ex-"partner" was sentenced to life without parole Friday, March 19. Cynthia Monson, 51, was sentenced to the mandatory life without parole term for the murder of her ex, Patricia Thomas January 2009. While Monson's attorney claimed self-defense, Assistant State Attorney Art Brown said that Monson's re-enactment of the killing proved intent to kill.

“Even though she claimed she was in fear ... she kept adjusting her arm so she could shoot her in the head. It really became clear that it was done with intent and not in self-defense.”

At the time of her arrest, Monson told detectives she and Thomas had been arguing about their past relationship and custody of a child they adopted together.

Monson told detectives that she bought a gun on Jan. 13 after several arguments with Thomas in the weeks prior to the shooting. Four days later Thomas arrived at Monson’s home, in the 6400 block of Second Avenue Northeast, and they argued.

Thomas claimed to have a gun in her vehicle and Monson “determined at that time that it was her or the victim,” sheriff’s reports state. Prosecutors say Monson then opened fire on her ex-girlfriend with the revolver she had obtained days prior. Sheriff’s report say she shot Thomas five times, including in the back of the head.

The Manatee County jury took only two hours to convict Monson. The victim and perp were a couple for a dozen years, up until just before the shooting.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The outcome is justice. To keep shooting someone, especially when they are down, on the floor,is 'shoot to kill'. Monson didn't need to kill her x lover.