In the summer of 2021, a dispute between a couple outside a Bowling Green, Kentucky apartment complex culminated in the death of 31-year-old Phillip Stewart. The male victim, also known as 'Flip,' was fatally wounded on July 24, 2021, after being shot multiple times with a pellet gun. The incident occurred in the 300 block of Cherry Way where Stewart was engaged in an argument with his girlfriend.
A neighbor, Alison F.
Hargis, told authorities she heard the commotion and, believing the situation to be serious, retrieved a BB gun. Hargis stated she stepped outside and fired at Stewart approximately five times in an effort to 'scare him off' after warning him not to hit his girlfriend. Following this initial confrontation, Hargis claimed Stewart attempted to force his way into her apartment, prompting her to fire another round. This final shot proved to be the lethal one.
After the shooting, Hargis left her apartment. Stewart was later found unresponsive in the parking lot. An autopsy revealed that a pellet had penetrated his heart sac, causing fatal internal bleeding. A medical examiner's report also indicated the presence of methamphetamine in Stewart's system at the time of his death.
Following a 36-hour search, police arrested 32-year-old Alison F. Hargis, who also had multiple outstanding warrants. Initially charged with murder, Hargis spent nearly two years in jail. She later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree manslaughter. In April 2024, a judge sentenced Hargis to five years of probation, noting that a self-defense claim could have potentially led to an acquittal at trial.
