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EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah County — Prosecutors are trying to decide whether an Eagle Mountain woman was justified when she shot and killed her husband back in February.
It is unclear when prosecutors will make a decision, but the case is now in their hands.
Authorities said this is a very unique case that took them seven months to investigate.
When authorities went to an Eagle Mountain home in February, they found Elwin Dale Hitesman dead in the living room. They said it appeared his wife, Tiana Hitesman, shot him in self defense.
"There was a history of domestic abuse in the relationship, long history," said Sgt. Spencer Cannon of the Utah County Sheriff's Office. "We knew them well."
Authorities said the case wasn't so clear-cut, since Tiana apparently made a few other phone calls before dialing 911, according to Cannon.
Police looked at other factors too, which Cannon declined to elaborate on.
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A father of four was killed in his home late Friday, and his wife was questioned about the incident."As we go along and gather information, one piece will make us think things are in a certain decision, and you get some more information and it turns you the other way," he said.
Authorities said Tiana is not a risk to the public and she was never arrested. They investigated the incident in the meantime.
"Once you make a physical arrest, that, in a huge way, speeds up the legal process where certain things have to be done in a certain time," Cannon said.
It's now up to the Utah County attorney to decide what charges, if any, Tiana will face.
"We have our inclinations, but we should see both sides of the story here," Cannon reiterated, though he declined to elaborate further.
The couple had four children. Authorities said they were all sleeping when the shooting took place.
Family members on both sides declined to comment until prosecutors make their decision.
