Cleveland, OH: Wife kills husband in domestic dispute

Updated: 01.31.10
A Cleveland woman shot and killed her husband shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday after he attempted to take her life, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

Terrence Dwayne Penton Sr., 48, reportedly was drunk when he arrived at the home in the 22300 block of Morgan Cemetery Road and threatened to kill his wife and himself. However, after firing a shotgun three times at his wife and missing, according to the MCSO, she fired a fatal shot to his head with a handgun.

No charges have been filed against Kay Lynn Penton, 51 and no arrest is expected, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The case will be referred to a Montgomery County grand jury for review.

Patrol units first were dispatched to the scene at 12:47 a.m. A second 9-1-1 call minutes later revealed that several shots were fired in the bedroom of the home.

Deputies found Terrence Penton in the master bedroom with a gunshot wound to the head. EMS personnel pronounced him dead.

Detectives from the Major Crimes Units and Crime Scene Investigators interviewed two adult witnesses and Kay Lynn Penton at the scene. They learned the victim arrived home intoxicated and was pointing a shotgun at his wife threatening to kill both of them. Evidence collected at the scene shows Terrence Penton fired at his wife at least three times. She returned fire with a handgun, causing the fatal wound.

There were also three young children, ages 5-8, inside the house at the time of the shooting.

There is an extensive history of family violence at the residence involving Terrence Penton Sr., according to law enforcement. According to PublicData, Terrence Penton was fined $500 in November 2002 for a Class B misdemeanor of making a terrorist threat in March of that year.