Inset, left to right: Alanda Cuffee (WEAR) and James Pelzer (Escambia County Jail). Background: The area in Florida where Pelzer allegedly killed Cuffee (Google Maps).
A 64-year-old man in Florida is accused of killing his stepdaughter after a seemingly innocuous kitchen encounter ended with him shooting her several times in front of her mother.
James Pelzer was taken into custody over the weekend and charged with one count of dangerous and depraved murder without premeditation in the slaying of Alanda Cuffee, court records show.
According to a probable cause affidavit, deputies with the Escambia County Sheriff's Office responded to a residence in the 2500 block of Gulf Breeze Avenue at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. Authorities said Pelzer called 911 himself after the shooting.
Upon arriving at the home, first responders said Pelzer was already outside and surrendered without incident. Shortly after his arrest, Pelzer allegedly told deputies, "I messed up. I messed up bad." He also reportedly directed officers to the firearm, which he said was inside the home "sitting on top of a Bible" near the front door.
Inside, first responders found Cuffee lying on the floor "unconscious and unresponsive" in a pool of blood, with multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
In an interview with investigators, the victim's mother said she was in the kitchen with her daughter when Pelzer entered and "tried to walk around Cuffee."
"[Cuffee's mother] stated that she then told Cuffee to move out of the way for James Pelzer, at which point Cuffee stated, 'Well, Mama, he could say excuse me,'" investigators wrote in the affidavit. "[Cuffee's mother] stated that James Pelzer did not respond and walked back to his bedroom. [Cuffee's mother] stated that she observed James Pelzer walk out of the bedroom with a 'short and black' handgun in his hand and fired approximately four to five rounds at Cuffee."
Sheriff Chip Simmons summed up the situation to the Pensacola News Journal as follows:
"The stepfather was ultimately charged and arrested with shooting and killing his stepdaughter. It was about movement inside the house, whether one could walk around without bumping into the other."
Immediately after the shooting, the mother said, Pelzer did not appear to regret his actions.
"I asked [the mother] if James Pelzer had said anything before he shot Cuffee, to which she answered, 'no,'" the affidavit states. "[Cuffee's mother] stated that the only thing James Pelzer said was for her to 'be quiet' when she began to pray out loud over Cuffee."
After allegedly stating that he had "messed up," authorities said Pelzer refused to answer questions and requested a lawyer.
Inside the home, authorities recovered a small black Ruger .380 handgun, along with its empty magazine and a round of ammunition.
The victim's mother also told investigators that Pelzer had a history of anger issues and had previously threatened to "use his gun" during other incidents, though she said he had never been physically violent toward her or her daughter before the shooting.
Pelzer is currently being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on May 8.