Coram woman claims self-defense in fatal shooting of boyfriend
Police say the woman called 911 following the incident.
Ashley Guimont, the woman accused of killing her boyfriend in their Coram home, kept her head down as she was taken to court to be charged with second-degree murder.
Prosecutors say Guimont shot Alex Carter in the face early Friday morning at their home on Townhouse Drive.
Police say that it started as an argument inside of the apartment between the couple. They say that Guimont then shot Carter, then called 911.
During her arraignment, prosecutors told the judge that police found a 9mm handgun on the kitchen counter and a shell casing next to Carter's body.
He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Prosecutors say that Guimont admitted to police that she shot Carter, and that she was acting in self-defense because he was strangling her.
"We know the level of trauma that Ms. Guimont experienced particularly prior to this incident," said attorney Michael Alber.
Alber says Guimont was a victim of ongoing domestic violence, and that she has marks on her face and a swollen neck from the physical confrontation before the shooting.
"This is a case where the history, circumstances of these parties are going to show that that Ms. Guimont had absolute fear during this incident, particularly what happened on July Fourth," he said.
Prosecutors say Guimont has no criminal history. She is being held without bail and faces 25 years to life in jail.
