Unable to Afford Divorce, Woman Turns to Murder

A Missouri woman, aged 42, has been sentenced to a 10-year prison term for the murder of her husband. Melanie Biggins was found guilty of shooting her spouse, Etienne L. McEwan, in the back of his head while he was asleep. The motive behind the crime was reportedly her inability to afford a divorce. The verdict was delivered by Judge Jalilah Otto of the Sixteenth Circuit Court on Monday.

Biggins was initially apprehended in August 2022, facing charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action, which could have led to a life sentence. However, her defense attorney, Edward S. Berrigan, negotiated a plea deal with the prosecution. Biggins agreed to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter, leading to the dismissal of the other charges.

The Kansas City Missouri Police Department responded to a shooting report at the couple’s residence on Gillespie Place in the early hours of August 31, 2022. Upon arrival, the officers were flagged down by the couple’s two young daughters, aged 10 and 11. Inside the house, they found Biggins attempting to resuscitate her husband, who was lying in a pool of blood. Emergency Medical Services declared McEwan dead shortly after their arrival.

Biggins initially told the police that she woke up to the sound of a gunshot and found her husband shot, but did not see the shooter. She claimed to have found the front door open when she went downstairs. However, investigators quickly ruled out suicide and found no evidence of forced entry.

The crime scene revealed a pillow with a bullet hole and blood stains, and a blanket with a hole and gunpowder burns. An empty handgun case was found in the bedroom closet, and a spent shell casing was found in a .38 Special handgun located under a bunk bed in the next room. The two children reportedly told investigators they woke up to the sound of a gunshot and found their mother on the couch, looking shocked.

In a subsequent interview with the police, Biggins contradicted her initial statement, claiming she never left the bedroom before the police arrived. She initially stated that the only firearm in the house was her husband’s rifle, but later admitted to purchasing the .38 Special handgun found at the scene when confronted with purchase records. She was unable to explain how the firearm ended up under a bed in another room.

Biggins also confessed to having an affair due to financial problems in her marriage. She admitted to wanting a divorce but was unable to afford it due to financial constraints.