Inset: Melinda Grigsby (Macon County Sheriff's Office). Background: The Macon County Jail in Macon, Missouri (Google Maps).
A woman and man in Missouri were arguing during dinnertime about something on his phone when she loaded a gun and shot him in the chest, authorities say.
Melinda Grigsby, 39, has been charged with first-degree murder, court records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
The defendant is being held without bond in the Macon County Jail.
On Jan. 23, Grigsby was at a home in Ethel with a man later identified by authorities as 51-year-old Lawrence Jackson, according to area ABC and CBS affiliate KTVO. Multiple minors were at the home, too, and Grigsby was making dinner at the time.
A dispute hovered over the evening concerning "the content on his cell phone related to relationship issues," according to a probable cause statement filed in Macon County court. Jackson tried to speak with Grigsby, and the woman began "striking" him "in the face with a spatula" twice, causing a laceration and bruising, police say.
The man reportedly responded by grabbing Grigsby and placing her in a headlock, with one of the minors witnessing this and "pushing on [Jackson's] head" so he would let go, according to the charging document. The man did so and went into the living room, while Grigsby "finished cooking dinner and sent the juveniles to their room."
The suspect then followed Jackson into the living room, and they continued to talk and argue, authorities said. "Grigsby then got up and grabbed her purse, which contained a firearm, and went into the master bedroom," checking the magazine and adding more ammo to it from the bedroom closet, police allege.
The court document stated that "one of the juveniles heard Grigsby banging on the walls and door while she was inside the master bedroom." Then Jackson allegedly walked to the bedroom and they started to argue there.
"Grigsby stated that she dropped ammo on the floor when she had loaded the magazine to the firearm," the probable cause statement reads.
"[Jackson] asked her where the gun was," authorities went on. "She then drew the firearm and discharged it, striking [Jackson] in the chest."
One of the minors reportedly heard Jackson say, "Why, Melinda, why?"
Deputies with the Macon County Sheriff's Office responded to the home just before 6 p.m. and found Jackson "with a single gunshot wound to the chest."
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Grigsby was arrested and booked into jail. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Monday.
The court document did not detail the relationship between the victim and suspect.