Background: The Parkersburg, W.Va., neighborhood where Claudia Torres allegedly shot Austin Lamb on Feb. 27 (Google Maps). Inset: Claudia Torres (Parkersburg Police Department).
A West Virginia woman allegedly told police that she shot her friend three times after he tried to "grope" her.
Claudia Torres, 19, was arrested after midnight on Feb. 28 in connection with the fatal shooting of 28-year-old Austin Lamb. In a Facebook post, the Parkersburg Police Department said Torres was located about a mile from the residence where Lamb was found dead of gunshot wounds and detained. According to court documents obtained by local NBC affiliate WTAP, Torres called 911 herself and told dispatchers, "This guy who I thought was my friend tried to grope me… he tried to grope me… so I shot him three times."
Torres made similar unsolicited statements to officers during transport to the police department following her arrest, cops said.
According to court documents, officers arrived at the home to find Lamb slumped on a couch with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite lifesaving efforts, medics pronounced him dead at the scene.
Court documents state two witnesses who went to a bar with Torres and Lamb on the night of Feb. 27 said the two got into an argument on their way home. When the group got back home, Lamb went inside and Torres went to her truck.
Torres then stormed into the home and allegedly fired a gun at Lamb several times. She then left the house, and police said another witness saw her fire the gun one more time before fleeing the scene in her purple Dodge Ram. Police said surveillance video supported what witnesses reported seeing. Witnesses outside the home also told police they heard Torres say, "That's what you get for messing with me."
Police found Torres at a nearby gas station and detained her without incident.
Torres made her first court appearance on March 4 and was ordered to remain in custody without bond. She was charged with first-degree murder. Her next court appearance is scheduled for March 10.