In the quiet town of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, the life of 40-year-old Audrey Lowndes came to a tragic and abrupt end. On April 15, 2014, she succumbed to a gunshot wound to the head, a devastating event that unfolded in a mobile home on South Grand Avenue. The immediate aftermath of the shooting led to the arrest of her 28-year-old boyfriend, James McCabe Mallin, on preliminary charges that included attempted first-degree murder.
The incident occurred in the early morning hours, as a
lunar eclipse graced the sky. Police responded to a report of a gunshot victim and found Lowndes in a rear bedroom with Mallin nearby. She was initially transported to a local hospital and later airlifted to St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction, where she ultimately passed away. Mallin's account of the events described a distressing scene where he found Lowndes in a bedroom holding his. 22 caliber rifle. He claimed that as he attempted to take the weapon from her, it accidentally discharged, striking her in the back of the head.
An investigation into the shooting followed, and what initially appeared to be a potential homicide case took a different turn. Despite his initial arrest, Mallin was later released, and the District Attorney's office announced that no charges would be filed against him. The official determination was that Lowndes's death was a 'horrible accident.' This conclusion was supported by Lowndes's own family, who publicly stated their belief that Mallin was not capable of such a crime and that the shooting was a tragic accident. Her brother expressed that Mallin had been a loving and stabilizing force in her life.
According to reports, the evening preceding the incident, Lowndes and Mallin, along with his father, had attended a church service and had been drinking upon their return home. A witness at the residence reported hearing the couple argue for about 15 minutes before the gunshot. However, the prosecutor's office ultimately concluded that Mallin's actions were reasonable under the circumstances, bringing a close to the official investigation into the untimely death of Audrey Lowndes.
