Man Shoots Fiancee Day Before Wedding

Allegedly Mistook Woman for Intruder; Florida Police Continue Probe

(CBS/ AP)  Police in Florida are continuing their investigation of a 62-year-old man who fatally shot his fiancée 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.

[tracymmo]

Women are three times more likely to die from gun violence if there is a gun in the home, according to the International Network on Small Arms. If this was an accident (hope it's a thorough investigation), it reminds me of when a relative who was a cop said that he saw someone breaking into his car in the middle of the night and grabbed his service revolver. Turned out to be his teenaged daughter. He remembers thinking that someone without his police training would have fired. That's one of the many problems with the "militia" part of the constitution being used to justify guns in the home. Yes, gun owners can and should have training, but even then the chances of using a gun to successfully protect yourself against a violent attack is low. Shooting your teen who's coming home late, or your teenaged son being depressed and using it on himself, or someone losing themselves in a fit of rage . . . these are the realities of guns in the modern home.

[erasmus111]

I have to say that if it was me, I would INSTINCTIVELY know whether my husband was beside me or not.

[cladagh]

It is an outrage that Tabbutt has not been arrested. Shooting and killing someone "by accident" does not mean that a person doesn't get charged with a crime. John Tabbutt exercised the worst possible judgment and Nancy Dinsmore paid for that with her life. There is no Get Out Of Jail Free Card for killing someone, even when everyone is convinced that it must have been an accident and because the killer appears genuinely remorseful. The Winter Springs, FL police dept. had better get serious about the chilling message they are sending by not charging this man with (at least) involuntary manslaughter.

[MalloryDavis]

It is interesting to see how many people just believe the absolute worst in everyone.

[erasmus111]

It's amazing how many people are gullible.

[icanseeyou]

by Rodney_Hart October 12, 2009 8:43 PM EDT
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.

[barbaram99]

My Mum taught me this. To print a note and leave it on table. I told my friend to do the same. I do the same as well.
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.

[roach9703]

But it also shows the dangers of guns. They must be used carefully. This is very sad. I hope she recovers quickly.

[erasmus111]

Whoever designed this website or whatever, is incompetent. It's disgraceful. Posts being duplicated over and over. Comments made at the beginning end up at the end, and comments at the end, end up at the beginning. Comments disappear for hours and then show back up again. PATHETIC.

[hillaryel]

I believe it was an accident. Certainly if he planned it, he would have had a shirt on?!

[erasmus111]

by hillaryel October 14, 2009 4:49 PM EDT
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.

[feddupp1]

Another Liberal gun owner here, we do exist, btw...lots of us. (also not a fan of the NRA for all of the already stated reasons)

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.

[dblbar1]

In listening to the 911 tape, he didn't sound all that emotional and/or upset....I think if it were me, I'd be pretty hysterical....

[sandy19731]

Grand Jury time.

[erasmus111]

by manofthehour1 October 14, 2009 7:02 AM EDT
"I find it hard to believe that this was an accident."

"Still, I can't imagine not feeling across the bed to see if my wife was there; that's just common sense."


There are many that just don't have common sense.

But I agree with you. I'm also having a real hard time believing it was an accident. What? Didn't him or his fiance EVER get out of bed in the night to PEE or get a drink of water? And I would have to think that the first thing that I would do was to reach out to feel if my partner was there.

[howbizarre]

Scott Peterson was an idiot. He could have killed his wife, Lacey, and gotten away with it if he had just bought a gun and registered it. Then, he could have killed Lacey in the middle of the night, called 911, acted upset, and he'd have been off scot-free. Awww, it was just an accident. We can't hold people accountable for what they do with their guns. It's not their fault, just an accident. What a great way to get rid of someone you don't want to be around anymore! No more dumping their body in the river in the middle of the night!

[manofthehour1]

I find it hard to believe that this was an accident. It would seem to me that the logical thing to do would be to call out the fiances' name first. Then again, if it were an intruder, to do just that, would give him the exact location where he was and blow him away. Still, I can't imagine not feeling across the bed to see if my wife was there; that's just common sense.

I also, based on the news reports, don't get this sense of urgency and angst, over this man shooting his fiance. His dialog just seems too mechanical and detached. Maybe it's not for me to say what the "proper" way to act is, during these events.

I believe that the investigation is far from over, as it should be. I get the sense that the cops are only revealing bits of information to the public and ballistics and other information (input from neighbors, insurance policies), will put this to rest, one way or another.

Finally, I can't believe that people are so polarized, that immediately, this is a republican vs. democrat issue. I happen to live in a city where gun control is the law, to an extreme, in my view, so I've been conditioned to view these things differently. But damn, the right to bear arms is constitutional and it's not to be infringed upon, whether the man made a mistake or proves to be an outright murderer. It may very well be, this event will mean legislation to assure more "fitness" to having a firearm. Yes, I believe in the right to bear arms for self and family defense, but this doesn't make it an inalienable right, given the potential devastation to the very people we are trying to protect. There's nothing wrong with setting standards in this regard. I think the number of small children in a family and yes, the age of the owners (if you're too old, you might not be of sound mind - sorry AARP!) should be considered, though not necessarily reasons for disqualification.

[Crystal221]

If he's telling the truth, I feel bad for him. He has to live with the guilt of his horrible mistake for the rest of his life.


[it is just plumb hilarious how the dem's can blame EVERYTHING (after reading these comments I am convinced they can blame all on Bush and repub's) on repub's and Bush]

It is just hilarious how you generalize dem's. You should consider focusing on your own flaws instead of other's.

[Crystal221]

If he's telling the truth, I feel bad for him. He has to live with the guilt of his horrible mistake for the rest of his life.


[it is just plumb hilarious how the dem's can blame EVERYTHING (after reading these comments I am convinced they can blame all on Bush and repub's) on repub's and Bush]

It is just hilarious how you generalize dem's. You should consider focusing on your own flaws.

[erasmus111]

"As for Tabutt's demeanor when police arrived, 'he was as frantic as he sounds on tape...'"


Frantic? This guy did not sound frantic. Not even close. It also said he was sobbing, and I didn't hear that either. Yes, he did sound a little upset, but no way did he sound frantic. And he didn't look frantic either. If that was me, I would be sobbing and completely distraught over the fact that "I" shot my own wife/lover, whatever. He sounded and looked fairly calm.

[outwestbutnotca]

Let me see if I have this right. A guy loses his fiancé just before his wedding to a terrible accident, and all you warm hearted citizens can do it use it as a soapbox for you personal issues with American freedoms and choices. One of you brain drains here even stated that it wasn't an accident. So this guy didn't want to marry her and deliberately killed here? Brilliant! Otherwise it was an accident. You can?t be partially pregnant. It was or was not an accident.

Well, dude, I for one am sorry for your loss. I am sure if you could take it back, you would.

Last month we had a huge motorcycle gathering here, and eight people were killed. There is no rational need or use for a motorcycle. I am going to make it my life's work to ban all motorcycle ownership. Why should people be able to have things that I disagree with, and that are dangerous? Not on my watch! There are plenty of alternatives to motorcycles. They are loud and dangerous. Ban them, I say. Then we can start on SUVs, and them maybe FINALLY we can make smoking illegal in America. Wait until you see my list of stuff that I disagree with. Beer???.large screen TVs ???. Football???

You people make me sick to my stomach.

[carilovesscott]

wow...check out all these monday morning quarterbacks!!!!! im sure he wishes he would have yelled out "i have a gun" too... but that hinesight is a *****!

[hockeymom441]

I know people that buy guns think they're protecting themselves... guns do one thing - they kill people.

I hope people learn from this tragic lesson.

[hbkepi]

If only she had a gun to protect herself.