A former special needs teacher charged with the murder of his wife in 2023 has died before he could be sentenced. James Anderson was out on a $300,000 bond for the killing of his wife, Victoria, 34, who was shot dead in the family’s Kingwood home in Texas while their three-year-old son was present.
Anderson appeared in court on Friday to accept a 35-year prison sentence as part of a plea deal. However, shortly after arriving, he experienced a “medical emergency.” A court bailiff administered naloxone, a drug that quickly reverses opioid overdoses, before Anderson was taken to Ben Taub hospital, where he died just after 11 a.m.
Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen confirmed that Anderson ingested drugs. An autopsy is scheduled as part of the ongoing investigation.
Anderson, who also worked as a clown, was accused of gunning down his wife while she desperately begged a 911 dispatcher for help. Victoria called the police and told dispatchers that her husband was “threatening to shoot her,” according to a statement from the City of Houston. During the call, dispatchers reported hearing a gunshot.
Following a five-hour standoff with police and a SWAT team, Anderson was arrested. During the standoff, he allowed their toddler son to leave the house. The child was unharmed but was reportedly covered in his mother’s blood, according to ABC 13.
Police entered the home to find Victoria unresponsive with a gunshot wound. Paramedics confirmed her death at the scene shortly after. Authorities remain uncertain about what led to the fatal shooting, but domestic disputes had reportedly been reported at the home previously. It was also suggested the couple might have been going through a divorce.
James Anderson served as the Special Education Department Chair for Santa Fe Middle School, where he began working in 2022. Before his teaching career, he performed as a clown and balloon artist under the name “Mister Jazzz.” He entertained children at parties and public libraries and owned a clown business under the pseudonyms “Mister Jazzz” and “Mr. Jazzz the Clown,” according to business records obtained by the US Sun.
In his past online biography for the school district’s website, Anderson described himself as a family man, writing:
“When I’m not busy working, I love hanging out with my family. I also like doing stuff in my yard, but not when it’s insanely hot outside! Another thing I’m really into is reading.”
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