Posted 7:11 pm Friday, July 06, 2012
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Dentist: 'I Screwed Up And Killed Her With A Gun.'
BY KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer
A retired East Texas dentist says he regrets fatally shooting his wife of 26 years.
Dr. Bobby Nichols told The Associated Press today that he misses and loved his wife. He said,
“We just got in a fight and I screwed up and killed her with a gun.”
Tyler police arrested the 75-year-old and charged him with the June 29 death of 71-year-old Rosiland Nichols. He's charged with murder and free on $750,000 bond.
Nichols said he's never been in trouble, but after a few drinks with his buddies he came home and his wife began nagging him.
Nichols said he doesn't really “remember what happened” before the shooting.
He said it was “almost like blacking out,” so he had hoped it was only a dream.
The Tyler Morning Telegraph has obtained the arrest affidavit in the case against Nichols in which the dentist himself admits to police that he shot his wife for nagging him.
Police responded to Nichols' 911 call from the couple's residence at 3417 Allen St. about 9 p.m. and found Mrs. Nichols dead at the scene.
According to the affidavit, the couple argued because Nichols was “staying gone every Friday.”
Nichols told police that he went to Willowbrook Country Club about noon and had a drink and then went to Dakota's restaurant where he had a couple more drinks with friends before returning home about 5 p.m.
“…Rosiland Nichols started a verbal argument with him in reference to him staying gone every Friday,” the affidavit states. “Bob Nichols advised that she kept following him around the residence for about four hours and she told him to leave the house.”
Nichols then told police that he did not have to leave his own house, but she reiterated her demands.
Nichols said that is when he went to his pickup and retrieved that handgun and put it in his pocket.
Upon re-entering the house, he told her to stop harassing him, according to the affidavit.
“He advised she continued to nag him so he pulled out his handgun and shot her twice in the abdomen while she was seated on the couch in the living room,” the affidavit states.
Police said Nichols advised that he pulled the trigger a third time, but believes the weapon misfired.
“He advised that Rosiland immediately clutched her stomach area and stated, 'Oh hell' and slumped over,” the affidavit states.
Nichols also told police that he sat her back up on the couch and she gasped for breath then stopped breathing.
“…He attempted to give her mouth to mouth (resuscitation), but at that point she was dead,” the document states.
Nichols waited 15 minutes and then called 911, reporting the shooting and stating he was responsible.
“Bob Nichols declared remorse for what he did and further displayed remorse by crying and stating that he has ruined everyone's life that is in his family,” the affidavit states.
Nichols, who was married to Rosiland for 26 years, has been charged with her death and has bonded out of jail on a $750,000 bail.
The Associated contributed to this report
Updated Friday, July 6, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. CDT
Staff Writer
A retired East Texas dentist says he regrets fatally shooting his wife of 26 years.
Dr. Bobby Nichols told The Associated Press today that he misses and loved his wife. He said,
“We just got in a fight and I screwed up and killed her with a gun.”
Tyler police arrested the 75-year-old and charged him with the June 29 death of 71-year-old Rosiland Nichols. He's charged with murder and free on $750,000 bond.
Nichols said he's never been in trouble, but after a few drinks with his buddies he came home and his wife began nagging him.
Nichols said he doesn't really “remember what happened” before the shooting.
He said it was “almost like blacking out,” so he had hoped it was only a dream.
The Tyler Morning Telegraph has obtained the arrest affidavit in the case against Nichols in which the dentist himself admits to police that he shot his wife for nagging him.
Police responded to Nichols' 911 call from the couple's residence at 3417 Allen St. about 9 p.m. and found Mrs. Nichols dead at the scene.
According to the affidavit, the couple argued because Nichols was “staying gone every Friday.”
Nichols told police that he went to Willowbrook Country Club about noon and had a drink and then went to Dakota's restaurant where he had a couple more drinks with friends before returning home about 5 p.m.
“…Rosiland Nichols started a verbal argument with him in reference to him staying gone every Friday,” the affidavit states. “Bob Nichols advised that she kept following him around the residence for about four hours and she told him to leave the house.”
Nichols then told police that he did not have to leave his own house, but she reiterated her demands.
Nichols said that is when he went to his pickup and retrieved that handgun and put it in his pocket.
Upon re-entering the house, he told her to stop harassing him, according to the affidavit.
“He advised she continued to nag him so he pulled out his handgun and shot her twice in the abdomen while she was seated on the couch in the living room,” the affidavit states.
Police said Nichols advised that he pulled the trigger a third time, but believes the weapon misfired.
“He advised that Rosiland immediately clutched her stomach area and stated, 'Oh hell' and slumped over,” the affidavit states.
Nichols also told police that he sat her back up on the couch and she gasped for breath then stopped breathing.
“…He attempted to give her mouth to mouth (resuscitation), but at that point she was dead,” the document states.
Nichols waited 15 minutes and then called 911, reporting the shooting and stating he was responsible.
“Bob Nichols declared remorse for what he did and further displayed remorse by crying and stating that he has ruined everyone's life that is in his family,” the affidavit states.
Nichols, who was married to Rosiland for 26 years, has been charged with her death and has bonded out of jail on a $750,000 bail.
The Associated contributed to this report
Updated Friday, July 6, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. CDT
