An 80-year-old Texas woman is being held on a $1 million bond for the alleged murder on Tuesday of her own daughter at a rural Kaufman County home.
For reasons currently unknown, Margaret Ann Johnston allegedly pulled out a handgun and shot her 52-year-old daughter Connie Lynn Helms in the shoulder area, killing her in what authorities described as a domestic disturbance. Additional information about the case has not been shared, so it is unclear what exactly the argument was that preceded the shooting. Law&Crime reached out to the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office for more information, but authorities redacted the incident report.
Kaufman County Jail records reviewed by Law&Crime show that Johnston was jailed at 9:47 a.m. on Wednesday. On the same day, a judge set Johnston’s bond at $1,000,000.
Reports say that authorities responded to the crime scene at around 4:40 p.m. on Tuesday and took the suspect into custody shortly thereafter.
At least one person who knew the victim mourned her death online and posted a picture of her.
Connie Lynn Helms via Facebook/screengrab
“Rest in peace Connie Lynn Helms,” the post said. “You will never be forgotten.”
Just over one week ago, a 69-year-old Texas woman was charged with murder in the shooting death of a spouse.
Dena Katharine Harris Storch
That homicide occurred in Caldwell County, which is more than 230 miles away from Kaufman County. In the Caldwell County case, the victim was 82 years old. Dena Katharine Harris Storch allegedly confessed to shooting her husband Lothar Storch multiple times, killing him.
It is not immediately clear if Connie Lynn Helms was shot more than one time.
[Image via Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office]
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