Man Shoots Fiancee Day Before Wedding

A general view of the newsroom of Al-Mayadeen, a new pan Arab satellite TV station which is launching broadcasts from Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, June 11, 2012. The satellite television station that hopes to challenge the dominance of Arab Gulf channels went on the air Monday, promising to deliver "reality as it is." The Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen joins a slew of other all-news Arab TV stations competing for viewers at a time of momentous political change in the Arab world. The station promises to support the Palestinian cause and all forms of "resistance." (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) / Bilal Hussein
Police in Florida are continuing their investigation of a 62-year-old man who fatally shot his fianc?e the day before the wedding after allegedly mistaking her for an intruder.
"We're still trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together," Winter Springs Police Chief Kevin Brunelle told CBS' "The Early Show" Monday.
John Tabutt, 62, told investigators he got his gun when he thought he heard an intruder, then fired at a figure in the hallway, according to Brunelle. It was Tabutt's live-in fiancee, 62-year-old Nancy Dinsmore, whom family members say he was going to marry Saturday. Tabutt told authorities he thought she was next to him in bed the whole time.
Brunelle said police were not yet viewing Tabutt's claim about believing Dinsmore was next to him in bed as suspicious and added Tabutt has no criminal record on file.
Tabutt called the police emergency dispatcher shortly after 2:30 a.m. Friday, moaning and sobbing, the newspaper reported.
"I thought I had an intruder in the house," he told the emergency dispatcher. "Honest to God, she looks dead."
He then thought he heard her take a breath.
"Hang in there, Honey. Hang in there," he said.
As for Tabutt's demeanor when police arrived, "he was as frantic as he sounds on tape," Brunelle said.
The couple planned to wed in a small ceremony Saturday at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Winter Springs, Dinsmore's son-in-law Scott Sposato, of Vero Beach, told the Orlando Sentinel.
"They loved each other," he said. "It was quite apparent."
Winter Springs is about 15 miles north of Orlando.
CBS/ AP "We're still trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together," Winter Springs Police Chief Kevin Brunelle told CBS' "The Early Show" Monday.
John Tabutt, 62, told investigators he got his gun when he thought he heard an intruder, then fired at a figure in the hallway, according to Brunelle. It was Tabutt's live-in fiancee, 62-year-old Nancy Dinsmore, whom family members say he was going to marry Saturday. Tabutt told authorities he thought she was next to him in bed the whole time.
Brunelle said police were not yet viewing Tabutt's claim about believing Dinsmore was next to him in bed as suspicious and added Tabutt has no criminal record on file.
Tabutt called the police emergency dispatcher shortly after 2:30 a.m. Friday, moaning and sobbing, the newspaper reported.
"I thought I had an intruder in the house," he told the emergency dispatcher. "Honest to God, she looks dead."
He then thought he heard her take a breath.
"Hang in there, Honey. Hang in there," he said.
As for Tabutt's demeanor when police arrived, "he was as frantic as he sounds on tape," Brunelle said.
The couple planned to wed in a small ceremony Saturday at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Winter Springs, Dinsmore's son-in-law Scott Sposato, of Vero Beach, told the Orlando Sentinel.
"They loved each other," he said. "It was quite apparent."
Winter Springs is about 15 miles north of Orlando.
Popular on CBSNews.com
- Young victims of deadly Okla. tornado 10 Photos
- Clean-up efforts underway in Okla. 29 Photos
- Tsarnaev friend implicates dead brother, self in murders 175 Comments
- Forecasters warn: Up to 6 major storms this season
- Boy Scouts to vote on allowing openly gay members 331 Comments
- Tornado damage numbers significantly downgraded
- Body of child recovered from deadly Minn. landslide
- First funeral held for young Oklahoma tornado victim














You think he would have gave out a verbal warning first. 'Don't move I have a gun'?
One of the standards for gun use is "know your target." A shadowy shape is a mystery target. Could have been one of those guests that arrived late before you went to bed, or, could have been the other occupant of the home. He was negligent in not confirming that she wasn't butting about the house. In his defense, adrenaline surges when you hear a definite "bump" in the night, but that doesn't mean responsible firearm ownership is waived off.
I feel for the lady's family who must lay her to rest.
The right to bear arms..It is in the constution..That document was written in the 1700s. That's right. The period was different than today. in the early days America had to put together armed forces and the pplice. There is no need to have guns in the home today..Fear is not the right mind set to own and use .
Guns don't kill it is the handler of it.
Years ago My friend asked why the blind don't the light on in the men's room there. They never needed it on. I do blame Hollywood for the krap they made and do make. I kmow alot is made up.
The fact is the the gent from UK is right on this.
The bloody gun handler wanting to shot the place up..maine others. The westerns cops and killers etc. Now they have vistal games to learn to shot and kill. Unlike a vistual game it can't be undone. The man has to live with the shotting his brige to be who died at his hands.
I have a 24 inch computer display that I can see as I need it as a legallelly blind person. It is so sad he killed his lady friend..That are persons who should not have guns as they can't handle the properly. There reasons there are nations don't allow there citzens to have them. There are no reason to OWN combat arms in the home. The mane reason the the right to bear arms were written when it was as there was no cop shops yet. The right to bear arms is not the issue here. There are some fgo health and safety reasons that they give up guns . I agree that that persons have too access to guns and things need to change. Young Jonny and Jane think the gun is a toy where it is not. Lessons from this senseless killing never sick in. Pacetmom think we all live in safe homes.. A safe home is where fear is not there and rear does not drell. I am safe as long as I use common sense. I don't know the person THEN access is denied. The gent lost his head. My friend and I have a key. I know the area. I am 55.
I believe it was an accident. Certainly if he planned it, he would have had a shirt on?!
Huh? Why would he have a shirt on if he planned it? Anyone with half a brain would be dressed however they normally would be when they were in bed being woke up. That is if you want people to believe you.
Having shot a gun before, I know there are far too many steps one needs to take in order to aim, shoot, and hit your target...and to be able to pull it off in the dark, while fearful that there is an intruder who may or may not be armed... well, this seems like no accidental shooting I have ever heard of,in all of those steps he needed to take, it would be nearly impossible to not notice the fact that your fiance is not beside you in bed. Even just sitting up on your elbow in a bed that is occupied by your sleeping partner feels much different than sitting up on your elbow in bed when you are alone.... it is a very big difference.