A Florida man has been arrested for fatally shooting his stepdaughter after she allegedly criticized his manners.
James Pelzer was taken into custody on Sunday, April 19, and was charged with one count of dangerous and depraved murder without premeditation in the death of Alanda Cuffee, according to online jail records viewed by Us Weekly.
Deputies with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence at 10:30 a.m. on April 19 after Pelzer, 64, called 911 to report the shooting, according to a probable cause affidavit viewed by Law & Crime.
First responders found Pelzer outside of the home upon their arrival and he surrendered without incident.
“I messed up. I messed up bad,” Pelzer allegedly told authorities after his arrest. He also reportedly told officers where the firearm was, which he said was “sitting on top of a Bible” near the front door.
After they entered the home, authorities found Cuffee, 38, lying on the floor with multiple gunshot wounds. She was “unconscious and unresponsive” in a pool of blood and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Cuffee’s mother spoke to investigators and said she was in the kitchen with her daughter when Pelzer entered the room and “tried to walk around Cuffee.”
“[Cuffee’s mother] stated that she then told Cuffee to move out of the way for James Pelzer, at which point Cuffee stated, ‘Well, Mama, he could say excuse me,’” investigators wrote in the affidavit, per the outlet. “[Cuffee’s mother] stated that James Pelzer did not respond and walked back to his bedroom. [Cuffee’s mother] stated that she observed James Pelzer walk out of the bedroom with a ‘short and black’ handgun in his hand and fired approximately four to five rounds at Cuffee.”
Sheriff Chip Simmons told the Pensacola News Journal that Pelzer “was ultimately charged and arrested with shooting and killing his stepdaughter. It was about movement inside the house, whether one could walk around without bumping into the other.”
The victim’s mother told authorities that Pelzer did not appear to regret his actions following the shooting.
“I asked [the mother] if James Pelzer had said anything before he shot Cuffee, to which she answered, ‘No,’” the affidavit stated. “[Cuffee’s mother] stated that the only thing James Pelzer said was for her to ‘be quiet’ when she began to pray out loud over Cuffee.”
Pelzer’s wife also told investigators that her husband had a history of anger issues and claimed he previously threatened to “use his gun” during other incidents. However, she said that he had never been physically violent toward her or Cuffee prior to the shooting.
Authorities also recovered a small black Ruger .380 handgun inside of the home, as well as its empty magazine and a round of ammunition.
Pelzer is currently being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond, Us can confirm. He will next appear in court on May 8.
It is not currently clear if Pelzer has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following his arrest. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Us’ request for comment regarding the case.
