'He could say excuse me': Stepdaughter's criticism of stepdad's manners became her final words before he killed her in front of her mom, police say

A 64-year-old antheral successful Florida is accused of sidesplitting his stepdaughter aft a seemingly innocuous room brushwood ended with him shooting her respective times successful beforehand of her mother.

James Pelzer was taken into custody implicit the play and charged with 1 number of unsafe and depraved murder without premeditation successful the slaying of Alanda Cuffee, tribunal records show.

According to a probable origin affidavit, deputies with the Escambia County Sheriff's Office responded to a residence successful the 2500 artifact of Gulf Breeze Avenue astatine 10:30 a.m. connected Sunday. Authorities said Pelzer called 911 himself aft the shooting.

Upon arriving astatine the home, archetypal responders said Pelzer was already extracurricular and surrendered without incident. Shortly aft his arrest, Pelzer allegedly told deputies, "I messed up. I messed up bad." He besides reportedly directed officers to the firearm, which helium said was wrong the location "sitting connected apical of a Bible" adjacent the beforehand door.

Inside, archetypal responders recovered Cuffee lying connected the level "unconscious and unresponsive" successful a excavation of blood, with aggregate gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dormant astatine the scene.

In an interrogation with investigators, the victim's parent said she was successful the room with her girl erstwhile Pelzer entered and "tried to locomotion astir Cuffee."

"[Cuffee's mother] stated that she past told Cuffee to determination retired of the mode for James Pelzer, astatine which constituent Cuffee stated, 'Well, Mama, helium could accidental excuse me,'" investigators wrote successful the affidavit. "[Cuffee's mother] stated that James Pelzer did not respond and walked backmost to his bedroom. [Cuffee's mother] stated that she observed James Pelzer locomotion retired of the chamber with a 'short and black' handgun successful his manus and fired astir 4 to 5 rounds astatine Cuffee."

Sheriff Chip Simmons summed up the concern to the Pensacola News Journal arsenic follows:

"The stepfather was yet charged and arrested with shooting and sidesplitting his stepdaughter. It was astir question wrong the house, whether 1 could locomotion astir without bumping into the other."

Immediately aft the shooting, the parent said, Pelzer did not look to regret his actions.

"I asked [the mother] if James Pelzer had said thing earlier helium changeable Cuffee, to which she answered, 'no,'" the affidavit states. "[Cuffee's mother] stated that the lone happening James Pelzer said was for her to 'be quiet' erstwhile she began to commune retired large implicit Cuffee."

After allegedly stating that helium had "messed up," authorities said Pelzer refused to reply questions and requested a lawyer.

Inside the home, authorities recovered a tiny achromatic Ruger .380 handgun, on with its bare mag and a circular of ammunition.

The victim's parent besides told investigators that Pelzer had a past of choler issues and had antecedently threatened to "use his gun" during different incidents, though she said helium had ne'er been physically convulsive toward her oregon her girl earlier the shooting.

Pelzer is presently being held successful the Escambia County Jail without bond. He is scheduled to look successful tribunal connected May 8.