85-Year-Old Woman Shoots and Kills Masked Intruder While Handcuffed to a Chair in ‘Brave Act of Self-Defense’ | US News
An elderly woman, aged 85, bravely defended herself by shooting and killing a masked intruder who broke into her home and handcuffed her to a wooden chair. A prosecutor described her actions as “one of the most heroic acts of self-preservation I have ever heard of”.
Christine Jenneiahn managed to shoot Derek Condon twice after retrieving her firearm from her bedroom while still bound to the chair in her home in Bingham County, Idaho.
Ms Jenneiahn recounted that Condon entered her home while she was sleeping, holding a gun and flashlight, at around 2am local time on 13 March. She also mentioned that her disabled son was present at the time of the intrusion.
Condon likely hit Ms Jenneiahn over the head while she was in bed, as she discovered blood on her pillow and bedroom floor. The case review shared by Bingham County Sheriff’s Office on 9 April detailed these events.
After handcuffing her to a chair and demanding to know the location of her valuables, Condon threatened Ms Jenneiahn’s life. Despite informing Condon about two safes downstairs, he became angry upon discovering her son and made multiple death threats towards Ms Jenneiahn.
While Condon searched the house, Ms Jenneiahn managed to grab her .357 Magnum from her bedroom and hid it in the living room. She waited for Condon to return and when he threatened her again, she made the split-second decision to defend herself, firing two shots at him.
Condon retaliated by shooting Ms Jenneiahn multiple times before succumbing to his injuries in the kitchen.
Ms Jenneiahn, still handcuffed, waited for hours until her son found her and called for help. The review concluded that Ms Jenneiahn’s actions were justifiable homicide in self-defence.
Bingham County Prosecutor Ryan Jolley praised Ms Jenneiahn’s courage, stating, “Her grit, determination, and will to live appear to be what saved her that night.”
He emphasized that her actions were justified given the circumstances, calling it “one of the most heroic acts of self-preservation” he had ever witnessed.
