On August 31, 2022, tragedy struck a residence in the 1700 block of Gillespie Place in Kansas City, Missouri, when 50-year-old male Etienne Lawrence McEwan Sr. was found dead in his home. Officers from the Kansas City Police Department responded to the scene around 1 a.m. after receiving a call about a shooting. Upon arrival, they were flagged down outside the house by the couple’s two young daughters, ages 10 and 11.
Inside the home, first responders discovered McEwan lying in his bed in a pool of blood with a gunshot wound to the back of his head. His wife, Melanie M. Biggins, was found attempting to perform CPR on him, but paramedics pronounced him dead shortly after their arrival.
In the initial stages of the investigation, Biggins claimed that she had been asleep next to her husband when she was awakened by the sound of a gunshot. She told detectives that she did not see who fired the weapon but went downstairs to find the front door open, suggesting that an intruder had entered the home. However, investigators quickly noted inconsistencies in her account. There were no signs of forced entry into the residence, and forensic evidence at the scene contradicted the theory of a break-in. A pillow found on the floor at the foot of the bed had a bullet hole and blood on it, and a projectile was recovered from inside the stuffing. Additionally, a blanket with gunpowder burns was discovered, indicating the shot was fired at close range.
Further investigation led police to a search of the home, where they found a. 38 Special revolver hidden under a bunk bed in a separate room. The firearm contained a spent shell casing, and a check of purchase records revealed that Biggins had bought the gun in July 2022, just weeks before the shooting. Confronted with this evidence, Biggins admitted to having an extramarital affair for approximately 18 months and expressed that she had wanted to leave McEwan. She allegedly told authorities that financial difficulties made a divorce too expensive, describing it as 'not an option.'
Biggins was arrested and initially charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Prosecutors alleged that she had premeditated the killing to escape the marriage without the financial burden of a divorce. The case proceeded through the legal system for over two years until a resolution was reached in early 2025. In January of that year, Biggins accepted a plea deal from prosecutors. She pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter, and the original charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action were dismissed. Following her plea, a judge sentenced her to 10 years in prison for the death of her husband.
