Texan who shot trooper draws life term

A Texas woman was sentenced to life in prison Monday for shooting an Arkansas State Police trooper.

Elsbeth Tresa Kittinger, 49, of Fort Worth, pleaded guilty Monday in Hot Spring County Circuit Court to charges of first-degree battery and commission of a felony with a firearm in connection with the April 1 shooting of Trooper Kyle Sheldon.

Initially, Kittinger also faced two charges each of attempted capital murder, unlawful discharge of a firearm and fleeing. But those charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement.

Kittinger was sentenced to life in prison plus 15 years, to run consecutively, according to a judge’s note in the case file.

According to a fact statement filed Monday in circuit court, and confirmed by Kittinger, Sheldon stopped Kittinger’s Dodge pickup at the Corner Store Valero in Rockport for traffic violations. A check of her driver’s license indicated Kittinger had a warrant for her arrest out of Texas.

When Sheldon opened the door of Kittinger’s pickup, she shot him with a .38-caliber pistol. The bullet struck Sheldon in the right shoulder and chest, above his vest, according to the court filing.

As Sheldon retreated for cover, Kittinger fired a second round but missed. Then she fled the scene in her vehicle and was apprehended a short time later by other law enforcement officers, according to the court document.

Sheldon survived the shooting.

According to an April 2 news release from the Arkansas State Police, officers from the Malvern Police Department were parked nearby when Sheldon was shot. They returned gunfire as Kittinger drove away.

“Local law enforcement officers fired a second time at the suspect as she fled onto Doyle Jones Road about five miles away from the traffic stop and first shooting scene,” according to the news release.

Kittinger suffered a gunshot during her arrest.