Camden County Woman Admits She Killed Ex During Heated Argument, Authorities Say

CAMDEN COUNTY, Mo. — A woman charged with 2nd Degree Murder in Camden County told investigators she killed her ex-boyfriend during a heated argument in her camper, according to court documents.

The probable cause statement for the arrest of 47-year-old Christine J. Zahn reveals authorities were called to Zahn’s camper where she lived just after midnight on Monday, Nov. 19, 2018. Law enforcement reportedly found a man dead of a gunshot wound on the floor of the camper.

Zahn was at the scene, authorities say, and she initially told them she had opened a partition to see a man running aggressively towards her in the camper, so she grabbed her rifle and shot him, according to the document.

But authorities report Zahn’s story changed later, in which she said the victim, identified as “DRH” was her ex-boyfriend. Zahn reportedly said she heard DRH in the next room, after she arrived home from a local bar at around 10:40 p.m. According to the PC document, Zahn said they began arguing and he accused her of cheating. They argued for about 30 minutes, Zahn reportedly told investigators, and she grabbed her rifle because DRH was acting aggressively toward her. Authorities say Zahn never said DRH made physical contact with her, but she did reportedly say he was hovering over her while growling and displayed clenched fists. Zahn told authorities she had grabbed the rifle to scare him, but eventually shot him, according to the document.

Zahn also reportedly told authorities she did not flee because she had done that during a prior domestic dispute with DRH and he had chased her. “This is my home,” she reportedly told the detective, when explaining why she did not leave.

Zahn is charged with 2nd Degree Murder (Class A Felony) and Armed Criminal Action (Unclassified Felony) and she is being held on $500,000 cash-only bond.