On the night of November 1, 2020, officers from the St. Charles Police Department responded to a residence on the 3100 block of Ridgeview Drive in Saint Charles, Missouri, following a report of a medical emergency. Upon arrival shortly before midnight, first responders discovered a 34-year-old female named Crystal Hanshew suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head.
Despite emergency efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene inside the home she shared with her husband.
Investigation into the incident revealed that the shooting was the culmination of a domestic dispute between Hanshew and her husband, Aaron Guilliams. Detectives determined that the couple, who had been married for approximately eight months, had engaged in a verbal argument that escalated in the hallway of their residence. During the altercation, Guilliams allegedly retreated to a bedroom to retrieve a. 45-caliber semi-automatic pistol. He then returned to confront his wife, reportedly pointing the weapon at her face and expressing regret over their marriage.
According to police statements and court records, Guilliams admitted to investigators that he fired the weapon after Hanshew told him he would not pull the trigger. Following the shooting, authorities recovered the handgun believed to be used in the crime at the scene. Guilliams was taken into custody without further incident. Prosecutors from the St. Charles Prosecuting Attorney's Office subsequently charged him with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. He was ordered held at the St. Charles County Department of Corrections on a $500,000 cash-only bond while awaiting further legal proceedings.
