In what was described as a tragic accident, 63-year-old Rhonda Elaine Randle was shot and killed in her Tacoma, Washington, home on March 11, 2018. The person responsible for her death was her 28-year-old son, Jullian Anderson-Randle.
On that Sunday morning, Anderson-Randle made a frantic 911 call, screaming and telling the dispatcher that he had killed his mother.
When police arrived at the residence on East N Street, they found the front door slightly ajar and could hear Anderson-Randle inside, yelling in distress, "Oh my God… I shot her… she's dead… mom… I killed my mom! I thought I was being robbed". Officers found Rhonda Randle's body just inside the front door; she had been shot multiple times.
Anderson-Randle told investigators he was in his home when he heard a noise on the front porch. Believing someone was attempting to break in, he opened fire to protect himself and his home. It was only after firing the shots that he realized the person on the porch was his mother. Anderson-Randle, who had no prior criminal history, was taken into custody and placed on suicide watch.
After a review of the evidence and discussions with Rhonda Randle's family, the Pierce County Prosecutor's Office announced that no criminal charges would be filed against Jullian Anderson-Randle. Prosecutor Mark Lindquist stated that the shooting was a "horrible accident" and that filing charges would not serve any constructive purpose for the community. He emphasized that it was a time for compassion rather than accountability. Anderson-Randle was subsequently released from custody.
