Police: 92-year-old woman shot and killed son who wanted to put her in a retirement home


Anna Mae Blessing, 92, allegedly shot and killed her 72-year-old son at their Arizona home after he told her he was going to move her into an assisted living facility, authorities said.
In a statement, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said Blessing hid two pistols in her robe on Monday night, and shot her son inside his bedroom. His girlfriend was also in the room, and told officers she heard Blessing say she was tired of how her son treated her. Blessing allegedly pointed the gun at her, too, but the woman was able to disarm Blessing. Court documents state that Blessing was sitting down when deputies arrived and arrested her, and "as the suspect was being escorted from the residence, she made a spontaneous statement to the effect of, 'You took my life, so I'm taking yours.'"
Blessing moved into the Fountain Hills home with her son and his girlfriend about six months ago, KPHO reports. She has been charged with first degree murder, aggravated assault, and kidnapping.
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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