74-year-old wife in jail after ‘accidentally’ killing husband, NC sheriff says
Union County sheriff’s investigators arrested and charged a 74-year-old woman in the fatal shooting of her husband in their home near Monroe Friday.
Patty Griffin was jailed with no bond on a second-degree murder charge after her husband, Dennis Griffin, was shot just before 2:30 p.m. in the 700 block of Winding Way Drive, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
Deputies arrived within minutes “and began life-saving measures” beside other first responders, but Dennis Griffin was soon pronounced dead, officials said.
Deputies said Patty Griffin told them she accidentally shot her husband in the shoulder, but he was shot in the chest, according to the sheriff’s office.
“During the investigation, detectives learned that Patty had been arguing with Dennis about past events,” according to the news release. “Investigators determined that she retrieved a .38-caliber handgun, pointed it at Dennis, and pulled the trigger.”
Patty Griffin is also accused of trying to “discard evidence” after the shooting but before deputies arrived, officials said.
This story was originally published May 9, 2026 at 12:20 PM.