A 71-year-old man who shot his son's girlfriend three times, including in the head, said he was tired of threats she was making.
Tommy G. Couch, Sr. was charged with attempted first-degree murder and especially aggravated robbery.at his residence in the 200 block of Coleman Road in the north part of Soddy Daisy.
In the incident early Friday morning, Veronica Pitts, 45, was also shot in the arm and side. Her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. She was transported to a local hospital via Hamilton County EMS.
At approximately 7 a.m., Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the residence for the report of a shooting. Charles Dye, who lives across the street, said a black female began banging on his door, saying she had been shot.
He said he could see that she was bleeding so he called 911.
Ms. Pitts said Tommy Couch, Sr. shot her and she believed he was after her EBT card. Deputies found Couch coming out of his residence. He did have the EBT card of Ms. Pitts on him.
Couch admitted to shooting Ms. Pitts after he said they argued the night before over her contributions to the household. He said he was not in a relationship with Ms. Pitts, but his son, Tommy Couch, Jr., was. The son is currently at the Silverdale jail.
He said his son asked him to take care of Ms. Pitts while he served time for assaulting her. He said Ms. Pitts had made repeated threats to have her brothers, who are also at Silverdale, kill her son.
Couch, Sr. said Ms. Pitts had made threats to also kill his daughter if he did not continue to give her money and provide her with a car.
He said he had "basically had enough" of Ms. Pitts and took her threats seriously.
He said he shot her with a .22 caliber revolver and hid it in a green Lincoln on his property. The gun was found in the vehicle.
Bond was set at $325,000.