PROVO, Utah, Jan. 8, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Arrest documents reveal more details in the case of Melissa John-Fausett, the Provo woman arrested after police say she admitted to her husband’s fatal shooting, calling it a case of self-defense.
John-Fausett, 56, called dispatch at 7:41 p.m. Saturday, her probable cause statement says. The affidavit, filed by an officer of the Provo Police Department, reports she said she “shot her husband after being attacked by him.”
Officers arrived within 5 minutes and found John-Fausett on the front porch of the residence, in the northwest area of Provo, the affidavit says. Officers entered the house and found victim Corry Fausett, 55, deceased, in the hallway near a bedroom. They noted blood spatter around the body and a pool of blood on the floor.
“Officers reported that the pool of blood was beginning to coagulate, and the blood spatter on the walls appeared to be drying,” John-Fausett’s arrest documents say.
“Melissa, she told investigators that she was lying on her bed when her husband came into her bedroom,grabbed her by the neck, and started hitting her on the top of the head. Melissa then said she grabbed her gun that was on her bed beside her and began shooting at her husband.
“Her husband attempted to leave the room, and Melissa stood up and started to follow him, continuing to shoot until he collapsed on the ground just outside the doorway to her room. Melissa said that her husband had threatened to kill her, and she believed that he was going to a different room to get a gun.”
John-Fausett “said that she shot at her husband in self-defense,” then called 911, the statement says.
After obtaining a search warrant, investigators recovered a gun on the bed, which John-Fausett said was the weapon she had used.
“There was no obvious blood on the gun that was found on the bed,” the affidavit says. “Investigators found a second handgun in Melissa’s purse that was located in the bedroom underneath some clothing. The handgun found in the purse had blood spatter on the front end.
“When Melissa was questioned about the second gun found in her purse, Melissa said that the blood was from shooting rabbits in the desert at close range. The blood on the second handgun was tested and was positive for human blood.”
Corry Fausett was found to have at least four bullet wounds, one indicating he had been shot from behind, and two from above, at very close range, as he lay on the floor.
“After falling to the ground, there was no evidence of him moving to indicate that he was a threat to Melissa’s safety,” the affidavit notes. “The evidence obtained at the scene conflicted with the statements made by Melissa.
“Melissa stated, post Miranda, that she shot her husband multiple times in self-defense; however, with the evidence found and collected at the house, it is believed that Melissa intentionally or knowingly caused the death of her husband and was no longer acting in self-defense.”
John-Fausett was evaluated by paramedics and transported to Utah Valley Hospital, where she was also examined by a doctor.
“Both the paramedics and the doctor stated there was no evidence of injury to Melissa’s head,” her affidavit says
She was booked into the Utah County jail for investigation of murder, a first-degree felony, and ordered to be held without bail.
