In the winter of 2019, the life of 58-year-old Theresa Ann Bagwell came to a tragic end in what appeared to be a quiet Littleton, Colorado, community. On February 6, what unfolded was not a peaceful passing but a violent act that would unravel a story of desperation and alleged mercy. That day, Theresa, a female who was battling terminal brain cancer, was found deceased in her home. She had been married to her husband, Bruce Bagwell, for 37 years.
The initial call to the police came from Theresa's own father, who reported a deeply disturbing confession from his son-in-law. Bruce Bagwell had admitted to him that he had shot and killed his wife. When law enforcement arrived at their residence, they discovered Theresa in her wheelchair; she had been shot three times with a shotgun. The scene was a stark and brutal contrast to the in-home hospice care she had been receiving after her diagnosis a month prior.
Bruce Bagwell's account of the events leading up to his wife's death painted a grim picture. He claimed that Theresa, who was facing a grim prognosis of only weeks or months to live, had been pleading with him to end her suffering. He told investigators that her condition had deteriorated rapidly, leaving her in need of a wheelchair and in a state of desperation. On the day of her death, he said he had breakfast with her, consumed alcohol, and then shot her in their apartment.
The legal proceedings that followed brought the complex and emotional details of the case to the forefront. Bruce Bagwell was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder after deliberation. In October 2019, a Jefferson County jury took only an hour to convict him of first-degree murder. His defense's attempt to argue that he had his wife's consent was ultimately rejected by the court, as Colorado law does not permit consent as a defense for an act that results in a serious injury or death. Bruce Bagwell was subsequently sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife.
