Wife, 79, told police she shot husband

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police are questioning a wife in the shooting death of her 69-year-old husband. The man's body was found in his bed at his home Sunday night.

The shooting happened at the couple's home on West 24th near Nicholson around 6pm. When police arrived at the home, they say they found homeowner George Anthony Martin dead.

"When they went into the house, they found a male on the bed that was shot," said homicide investigator Mohammad Khan.

"I know he keeps loaded guns all over the place," said Tom Phillips, a friend of the couple.

Neighbors say George was retired law enforcement. His wife Donna, 79, is a retired psychologist. Married for 11 years, they'd moved to this house from the San Francisco area.

Phillips said, "As many times as I've been there, I've never seen any hint of a problem."

Police say Martin had been drinking, was verbally abusive toward his wife and, at some point, threatened to kill her.

Believing Martin was going to kill her, the wife told police she retrieved her own handgun and shot Martin. She then left the house, went to her daughter's home next door and called 911.

"They'd go to church on Sundays, they made all the trips to all the museums, catch movies," Phillips said. "They're just normal nice people."

Phillips says George just came over Friday and the two chatted for a half hour. No word of problems and no indication of a family fight -- making the shooting death particularly puzzling.

"For her to do something like that, there had to be some other extenuating circumstances somewhere," Phillips theorized.

Police are interviewing Martin's wife, but she has not been charged at this time. The investigation is continuing. The case will be referred to a grand jury.

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