Walter Stevenson Jr, 69, was shot and killed on August 29, 2014, at the Asheville residence of his girlfriend. The confrontation reportedly began when Sheryl Pagan Todd, 59, and another family member tried to persuade Stevenson to end the relationship. Todd allegedly brandished a racquetball racquet intending to strike Stevenson; he then opened a folding pocketknife from his bathrobe pocket. Todd drew a .25 caliber pistol from her handbag and shot Stevenson once in the chest, resulting in his death.

Todd was arrested and charged with voluntary manslaughter. At a plea on May 8, 2017, she pleaded guilty and received a sentence of four to six years. During the sentencing hearing the court heard testimony from Todd and her brother, saw a defense video with excerpts of Todd’s police interview in which she said the shooting was an accident, heard a 911 call from the scene in which she sought medical help while asserting self-defense, and received expert testimony about defects in the century-old pistol’s safety mechanisms. Stevenson was survived by twelve children; four attended the hearing and delivered statements about their loss.

Does anyone have additional details about the confrontation or the family’s perspective that could shed light on what happened that night?