Daughter sees mom shot

Romine, Al.
A Lauderdale County woman died Sunday night shortly after being shot by her boyfriend who fired the fatal shot as the woman’s 10-year-old daughter watched, authorities said.
Trinity Dawn Sledge, 29, 11562 Lauderdale 92, died from head injuries she sustained in the shooting, sheriff’s investigators said.
Her boyfriend, Christopher Ryan Fincher, 33, Rogersville, was in critical condition in Huntsville Hospital’s neurological intensive care unit Monday night, officials said. Authorities said it appears he shot himself after shooting Sledge.
The shootings took place about 8 p.m. at Sledge’s house between Rogersville and Anderson in the Romine community of eastern Lauderdale County.
Lauderdale County Coroner Andy High said he was contacted by Huntsville Hospital about 11:30 p.m. Sunday and told Sledge had died. High said the body was taken to the Alabama Department of Forensics for an autopsy.
Sheriff Ronnie Willis said Sledge and Fincher were flown from the scene by helicopter to Huntsville Hospital. Emergency personnel said both were shot once in the head.
Authorities said Sledge and her daughter had just returned from church and she was cooking dinner when she was confronted by Fincher. They said the shootings occurred between the living room and kitchen areas of the manufactured home. Their bodies were found about a foot apart.
Willis said Sledge’s daughter reportedly witnessed the shooting.
“That’s what is so sad,” Willis said. “It’s a pitiful situation.”
Authorities said the girl, before the shooting, was told by her mother to go to a nearby neighbor’s house. That’s where she was found when law enforcement arrived.
Sheriff’s Chief Investigator Travis Clemmons said investigators have not talked to the girl.
“We plan to do that (today), and hopefully we’ll know more about exactly what happened and maybe why,” he said.
Fincher’s condition has prevented investigators from talking to him.
Three handguns were found inside the residence that authorities say Fincher apparently brought with him. Officials said it appears a .380-caliber pistol was used in the shooting.
“We have a gun we believe was used and we found others there at the scene,” Clemmons said. “We don’t know why he had so many guns with him.”
Willis said there are still a lot of questions surrounding the shooting.
“Hopefully, we can get some answers to determine what led to this happening,” he said.
Clemmons said he’s unaware of any problems involving Fincher and Sledge being reported to the Sheriff’s Office.
Aaron Andrews, preacher at Anderson Church of Christ where Sledge and her family attended church, said he saw Sledge and her daughter during the Sunday evening service.
“I’ve known her for a couple of years,” Andrews said. “She was a single mom trying to provide for her daughter.”
He said Fincher had been to church with Sledge on occasions.
“In fact, they were all together at church Wednesday night; even Chris’ son was with them,” Andrews said. “I never saw this coming, but who does?”
He said the tragedy has shocked the community.
“In any kind of tragedy, we try to find the why,” he said.
“The why is this is the world that we live in. All the community can do is pull together and pray for the two families that have been affected so much by this.”
He said the Trinity Sledge Memorial fund has been set up at all Bank Independent branches.