BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — On Monday, the eighth day of her murder trial, Wendy Howard was called to the witness stand and testified to the fear she felt when she fired shots that killed an ex-boyfriend.
Howard, 53, testified when the ex, Kelly Rees Pitts, arrived at her Tehachapi home the afternoon of June 5, 2019, she confronted him with a photo showing him molesting their teenage daughter. Pitts yelled and swore, Howard said, and got a look in his eyes she had previously seen when he became violent.
Pitts, 57, drove his quad toward her, running over edge of her foot, Howard said. She pulled a gun from her back waistband and fired.
Hit three times, Pitts was pronounced dead later the same day.
Howard’s lawyer, Tony Lidgett, asked what she thought when Pitts drove the quad at her.
“I was thinking that he was going to kill me, sir,” Howard said.
Howard is charged with first-degree murder and faces 50 years to life in prison if convicted. She has said she fired in self-defense, multiple prosecution witnesses have testified Pitts wasn’t facing Howard when he was shot.
Howard’s testimony will continue Tuesday. 17 News is live-tweeting the trial at #WendyHoward.
Closing arguments are expected later this week.
