HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A man has been charged with homicide in the shooting death of his girlfriend Sunday night at a home in Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania State Police said.
Troopers went to the Waycross Road home after 53-year-old Allen Trent called 911 claiming that his girlfriend had shot herself, according to a criminal complaint. Investigators found inconsistencies in Trent’s story and determined that he was responsible for the shooting.
Police said Trent and his girlfriend, Frances Smith, got into an argument before he fatally shot her in the head with a .44 caliber revolver while she was in bed.
Smith’s family released the following statement:
"Our family is deeply shocked at this tragic news. We are still in the process of notifying our large family. Frannie was the youngest if eleven siblings. Known for her quick sense of humor, she was outgoing and lived life to the fullest. She will be sadly missed by her family and friends."
The complaint said that Trent told investigators that he walked into the bedroom with the gun and Smith told him to put it away. He claimed that Smith grabbed his arm and the gun went off.
Trent was arraigned on a criminal homicide charge and was taken to the Westmoreland County Jail.
Channel 11's Melanie Gillespie will have new information on this story for Channel 11 News, starting at 5.