A Bloomington mother admitted this week to killing her husband of nearly four years, but was it self-defense, or murder?
On Monday, the 23-year-old woman accused in her husband's death spoke to RTV6 from her jail cell.
The shooting happened Saturday at Taylor and Justin Kirby's home on San Juan Drive in Bloomington.
Taylor Kirby, 23, doesn't deny she fired the shots that killed her 26-year-old husband Justin, but says it wasn't murder.
"I was honestly scared for my life," she said. "He's never came after me before, but the look in his eye was that nothing was going to stop him."
Listen to Mike Pelton's full jailhouse interview with Taylor Kirby in the video player above.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Department says Kirby shot her husband four times.
Kirby claims not to remember much of what happened. Authorities say her claim of self-defense doesn't add up.
"The physical evidence at the scene does not corroborate with the statement that she has provided," said Capt. Ryan Davis.
Kirby said she shot her husband inside the home, but authorities say his body was found outside by one of the doors.
"They made it sound like I deliberately chased my husband through the house to shoot him," she said. "I am sorry I shot him, but it was all in self-defense. I did not think I had a chance in hell of living down the beating he was going to give me."
Kirby says her 2- and 3-ear-old kids were playing just outside the home – and that they will grow up knowing their mom killed their dad. It's something she said she regrets.
"I would do anything in this world to be with my husband, my children right now," she said. "For my kids to know that … I just want them to know the truth … that daddy was trying to hurt mommy again."
The sheriff's department said deputies were called to the house once before for a verbal argument.
An initial hearing was scheduled for Kirby for Tuesday afternoon.
