Tennessee

Woman shot to death in her home, boyfriend claiming suicide

Posted on April 7, 2009. Filed under: suicide, Tennessee |

PUTNAM COUNTY, Tennessee — A woman was found shot to death in her home on Tuesday afternoon, and detectives are trying to determine whether it was a suicide, as was reported by her boyfriend.

Lisa Ann Adkins Giasson, 32, of Oak Trace Lane, was dead from a gunshot wound to the face when deputies arrived on the scene about 3:15 p.m., according to Putnam Sheriff David Andrews.

Giasson’s boyfriend, Todd Thomsen, who also lives at the residence, had called 911 just before that and reported that “she shot herself,” said Detective Red Golden.

“He was very upset and was sobbing when he called,” the detective said.

Lt. Bryan Whitefield was the first to arrive at the scene. Here is his description of what he saw:

“I had been informed that the front door would be open. I approached, but the door was locked. I went around to the side door and made entry. I could hear someone screaming in the other end of the residence.

“Upon following the sound, I entered the bedroom and observed a white male sitting on the bed holding a white female who was laying partially off the bed with her head and upper shoulder on a nightstand beside the bed.

“I approached as the male was ignoring or not hearing my commands. I observed a black pistol laying on the floor by the male’s left foot. I removed the weapon to a shelf at the foot of the bed, then physically removed the male subject, who was Todd Thomsen, to a chair in the living room to allow Emergency Medical Service medics entry to the victim.”

Lt. Whitefield also called for detectives, and Detectives Golden and Mike Hoover came to the scene, as did Deputy Jerry Dale Abston.

Detective Golden said Giasson was dead when he arrived. He said she had been shot in the left cheek just below the eye.

Todd Thomsen told the detective that “although the two had had several arguments in the past, they were not having an argument when the shooting occurred,” according to one report.

“He said they were getting along fine. He said he left the bedroom to go to the kitchen and when he came back to the bedroom, she had the handgun, a .40 caliber Glock, pointing at her head. He said she made a comment about killing herself and that she was losing her children.”

Thomsen told the detective he asked her to put the gun down, “but it discharged at that time.”

Giasson had been worried about retaining custody of her two children from a previous marriage, the detective said.

Detectives gathered evidence and sent the body to Nashville for an autopsy. They have also sent the gun to the TBI crime lab for testing.

“It is too early in the investigation to say what kind of case this is,” Detective Golden said this morning.