Aaron Critton Houchins (Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office)
A 27-year-old man in Oklahoma may spend the rest of his life behind bars for shooting his wife in the head because “she would not shut up.”
Oklahoma County District Judge Kikki K. Kirkpatrick on Tuesday ordered Aaron Critton Houchins to serve a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole in 35 years for attempting to kill his then-wife, Jessica Houchins, authorities announced.
Houchins entered a blind plea of guilty to one count of aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon against a spouse. A blind plea means that Houchins did not reach a deal with prosecutors regarding a sentencing recommendation or pleading to a lesser crime. Instead, blind pleas essentially put the defendant at the mercy of the presiding judge.
According to a press release from the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, deputies in the early morning hours of Oct. 20, 2021, responded to a home located in North Douglas regarding a reported shooting.
Upon arriving at the residence, first responders said they located a female victim who appeared to have sustained a gunshot wound to the head. The victim — later identified as Jessica Houchins — was rushed to the hospital for treatment and miraculously survived the shooting. Her husband was arrested and charged with shooting with the intent to kill, the release states.
According to a report from Tulsa CBS affiliate KOTV-DT, a male roommate who lived with Jessica and Aaron Houchins overheard the couple arguing and then heard gunfire before he called 911. Jessica Houchins was initially checked into the hospital’s intensive care unit in critical condition before she was able to recover from the gunshot wound to the head, per the report.
Court record show that Jessica Houchins in December 2021 was granted an order of protection against her husband. The order states that Houchins cannot have “ANY CONTACT whatsoever” with Jessica Houchins and is prohibited from engaging in any conduct that would place her or her relatives in “reasonable fear of bodily injury.”
Jessica Houchins filed for divorce from Houchins in June 2022 and the marriage was dissolved in November 2022. In her petition for the dissolution of marriage, Jessica Houchins included a clause requesting that her maiden name be restored to Jessica Stevens.
In response to the OCSO Facebook post announcing Aaron Houchin’s sentencing, Jessica Stevens posted a response celebrating the occasion but also indicating that she thought the punishment should be more severe.
“I have went through 9 surgeries and fixing to be number 10 in June,” the post states. “Did he receive enough time, no he didn’t, but to me that means 35 years of not feeling scared or alone. My family has been my life line since that 1st day (mom and dad and brother) I am forever grateful for them.”
Jessica Stevens’ Facebook post
Earlier in the day, Stevens posted about Houchin’s sentencing on her own Facebook page.
“Tomorrow is a day I have been praying for since 10/20/21. My piece of s— ex husband will finally be going to prison for shooting me in the head and almost killing me,” she wrote. “I am so over all this and ready to finally move on with my 2nd life I have been given!!! Everyone say a prayer tomorrow that this will finally be over and the bastard goes to prison!!”
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