Vance man charged with manslaughter in wife's shooting death

VANCE, Al.

Matthew Wightman

A Vance man was arrested on manslaughter charges Sunday in a shooting that killed his wife, according to police.

Matthew Wightman, 25, was charged in the death of Allison Wightman, 25, at their residence on Wallace Chapel Lane, according to Capt. Loyd Baker, commander of the Tuscaloosa Country Metro Homicide Unit.

Baker said there was no evidence of premeditation and the shooting appears to be an "accident as a result of very reckless behavior."  The case also will be reviewed by a grand jury.

Wightman first told police that his wife, who was lying in bed, had been accidentally shot by his hunting rifle as he prepared guns for target shooting, Baker said.

In a later interview with homicide investigators, Wightman admitted to lying and changed his story, Baker said. Wightman told the investigators that he planned to set the sights on his rifles at a friend's shooting range when he got out two rifles.

Wightman said he dry fired one of the guns and then pointed the other rifle at his wife and pulled the trigger, resulting in the shot that killed her. He told investigators he thought the rifle was unloaded, Baker said.

He was transported to the Tuscaloosa County Jail. Bond was set at $30,000.