MCSO: 92-year-old mother refuses to go to assisted living facility, shoots and kills son

FOUNTAIN HILLS, Ariz. - In a bizarre turn of events, Maricopa County Sheriff's officials say a 92-year-old mother took her 72-year-old son's life after she believed he ruined hers.

MCSO says deputies responded to a home near Palisades and Saguaro boulevards for a report of unknown trouble around 10 a.m. Monday. After they arrived on the scene, deputies say they found a man who had been shot and he was later pronounced dead. A suspect and a witness to the crime were detained at the home about 30 miles northeast of Phoenix.

Per MCSO, Anna Mae Blessing had been contemplating for several days about her son's intentions to place her in an assisted living facility.

"Blessing retrieved two pistols and concealed them in the pockets of her robe then confronted her son in his bedroom. During the confrontation, Blessing stated that she removed the handgun and fired multiple rounds striking and killing her son. She then pointed the gun at her son's girlfriend and the two struggled over the weapon when it was dislodged from her hand. Blessing retrieved the second handgun and attempted to point it at the girlfriend, who knocked it from Blessing's possession. The girlfriend contacted MCSO who responded and ultimately took Blessing into custody," stated officials.

When authorities got to the scene and took Blessing out of the apartment, Blessing reportedly said something along the lines of "You took my life, so I'm taking yours". Blessing reportedly also claimed that she meant to kill herself after, but didn't have any other weapons.

Detectives are investigating this case as a domestic violence homicide and there are no suspects outstanding. According to court documents, police have been called to the home before for a verbal altercation between Blessing and her son, and the guns were given to her from her late husband in the 70s.

"It is always concerning when domestic issues escalate to violence or tragic outcomes," stated Sheriff Paul Penzone. "They are often isolated and neither predictable nor preventable."

Blessing was charged with one count of murder in the 1st degree, one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of kidnapping. She is being held on a $500,000 cash bond. She is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on July 13.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.