A man shot outside a St. Johns bar on Thanksgiving died Saturday, and his 43-year-old girlfriend has been charged with second-degree murder.
According to a probable cause affidavit for her arrest, Barbara Marie Michelle is accused of firing at Justin Williams, 41, as the two fought near Bluebird Tavern on North Lombard Street, where they’d been drinking and gambling.
A witness told police that Williams and Michelle had been asked to leave the bar when they began arguing loudly and appeared drunk, according to court records.
Another witness said she saw Williams trying to grab Michelle, who said if he didn’t stop, she’d shoot him. A patron told police Michelle fired the gun one time into the ground.
“He wouldn’t stop so she shot him,” the witness said, according to court documents. Williams was then seen on the ground, saying “she shot me, can’t believe she shot me.”
Michelle fled the scene and crashed a white Toyota sedan near North Portsmouth Avenue and Newark Street, where Portsmouth neighbors called police.
Williams was rushed to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center where he was in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the torso on Thursday. He died Saturday. A medical examiner determined his death to be a homicide — the 94th in Portland so far this year.
Michelle was arraigned Monday morning and has yet to enter a plea for the charges she’s facing: second-degree murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault and driving under the influence of intoxicants.
This story will be updated.
– Savannah Eadens; seadens@oregonian.com; 503-221-6651; @savannaheadens