Three months after fatally shooting Botham Jean in his apartment, Amber Guyger a grand jury issued an indictment for murder.
Guyger claimed she thought she was entering her own apartment in the complex when she saw a “large silhouette” and thought he was an intruder.
In her affidavit to Dallas police after her arrest, Guyger said she “drew her firearm, gave verbal commands that were ignored by Jean…As a result, Guyger fired her handgun two times striking [Jean] one time in the torso.”
The 26-year-old St. Lucia native was an accountant and beloved by his family.
Jean’s mother, Allison Jean, said she was pleased with the murder indictment because Guyger “inflicted tremendous evil” on her son.
“He didn’t deserve it,” Allison Jean said. “He was seated in his own apartment. He felt safe and he was violated by her coming in and murdering him.”
Lee Merritt, an attorney representing Jean’s family, called Guyger’s charges “groundbreaking, but it is also just a start.” Merritt has also filed a lawsuit in federal court against Guyger and the city of Dallas in October.
Though her heart is broken, Jean’s mother said she will see this case until the very end.
“I look forward to the next step, which is a conviction of murder for Amber Guyger,” she told reporters. “And moreso of a proper penalty that will cause her to reflect on what she has done and the pain she has caused.”
Allison Jean added, “I’m depending on you to continue to rally with us as we seek continued justice for him.”