Victim Asked Defendant for Divorce Shortly Before Shooting
HARRISBURG — Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that a Mercer County woman was sentenced to 23 ½ to 52 years in prison after pleading no contest to third-degree murder and related charges for fatally shooting her husband.
Amy Emmett, 49, of West Windridge Road, Greenville, was charged with Criminal Homicide for the July 26, 2015 killing of her husband, William Emmett. Police in Sharon, Pennsylvania found the defendant and her husband in a parking lot with a silver hand gun laying between them. Both had sustained gunshot wounds and William Emmett died at the scene of the crime from his injuries.
Shortly before the killing, text messages between William and Amy Emmett showed that William had asked Amy for a divorce. A witness stated to law enforcement that he saw a woman standing over a man in a parking lot and saw that the woman dropped an object that looked like a gun.
An investigation revealed the gun found at the scene of the crime was purchased by the defendant, Amy Emmett. Sheadmitted to transporting the gun to the parking lot and to shooting herself twice. When asked if she shot her husband, she told police that she “did not know.” There is no history of domestic violence, evidence points to the motive as rage after the defendant’s husband asked for a divorce.
“The Office of Attorney General pursues justice for crime victims in every case we prosecute,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. “Today’s sentence ensures that the defendant will remain in prison for a significant period of time. I am proud of the great work by OAG prosecutors to ensure this success.”
The defendant was sentenced by Judge Robert Yeatts. This case was referred to the Office of Attorney General by Mercer County District Attorney in February 2017.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant Chief Deputy Attorney General Simquita Bridges and Senior Deputy Attorney General Patrick Schulte.
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