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Woman Who Said She Shot Roommate In Self-Defense Against 'Spirits' Surrounding Him Sentenced For Murder
Kiahna Hawkins claimed that she shot at a spirit that came out of roommate Andre Smith's body, likening the experience to being "in a virtual reality video game."
A Nevada woman who claimed to have fatally shot her roommate in an act of self-defense against spirits surrounding his body was sentenced earlier this week.
Kiahna Hawkins, 30, was sentenced to 11 to 28 years in the Nevada prison system for the murder of Andre D. Smith, 49, who was shot in the head in their North Las Vegas apartment on May 3, 2019, according to the Clark County Coroner's Office. The death was ruled a homicide and Hawkins was arrested the following day on a murder charge.
North Las Vegas police were summoned to the residence at 11:30 a.m. after Hawkins called 911, telling emergency dispatchers that she found her roommate dead. Hawkins claimed that when Smith arrived home at 4:30 a.m., spirits arrived with him, one of which came out of his body, according to an arrest report cited by KVVU-TV. She asserted that she shot at a spirit, not Smith, in self-defense.
Although detectives noted in their report that she "might be mentally disturbed," Hawkins was evaluated and found fit to stand trial in June. She pleaded guilty and entered a plea arrangement on the murder charge.
Hawkins likened her experiences in the early hours of May 3 to being "in a virtual reality video game." After waking up in the morning, Hawkins was aware of her reality and knew that Smith was dead.
The report also said that Hawkins initially claimed that the spirit set up the situation to make her look guilty, but that she ultimately did take full responsibility for Smith's death.
