TACOMA — A Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier charged with killing his wife says he didn’t mean to shoot her.
The News Tribune reports that 21-year-old Skylar Nemetz testified Thursday that the 2014 incident was an accident.
Nemetz has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the Oct. 16 death of his wife, Tarrah “Danielle” Nemetz. The 19-year-old woman was shot in the back of the head as she sat at a computer in the couple’s Lakewood, Washington, apartment.
Prosecutors allege that Nemetz shot his wife because he was upset that another man bought her liquor while he was away on a training operation. Nemetz and his attorney say the AR-15 rifle went off while he was clearing the chamber.
The defense rested in the trial Thursday. Prosecutors are expected to begin their rebuttal Feb. 22.
