East Texas

By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer

FRANKSTON — A dispute over the alleged theft of water and the destruction of a woman’s shower head led to a confrontation ending in death.

“It’s kind of crazy, but those are the allegations,” Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor said concerning the homicide that took place over the weekend.

Taylor said the incident occurred 11:30 Saturday morning at a mobile home park near Deep End Marina on Lake Palestine about five miles east of Frankston.

When deputies arrived at the location, they found Randhi Jo Allen, 35, of Frankston, had been fatally shot in the head once from close range.

Taylor said deputies originally took 31-year-old Melissa Ann Fountain, of Frankston, into custody and charged her with the murder of the other woman, but later dropped the charge after interviewing the woman and several others.

“It looks like it could possibly be self-defense, so, after talking with the detectives and the district attorney, we’ve decided to let a grand jury decide if charges are warranted,” he said.

Taylor said Ms. Fountain reported she told Ms. Allen not to enter her residence, but the woman made her way into the home where her body was found.

Taylor said the women lived next door to one another and had been in a dispute over water theft. Allen claimed Ms. Fountain broke into her home and damaged the shower head in her bathroom.

Taylor also stated several witnesses told detectives that Ms. Allen told them she had “beat up” Fountain on Friday night.

Taylor said it is believed Ms. Allen went back to Ms. Fountain’s residence — a makeshift home that was used to be a motor home — Saturday morning to again assault the woman when she was shot dead.

Taylor said Sgt. Steven Whittmore responded to a call at the same residence the night before the shooting when Ms. Fountain reported the assault by Ms. Allen, but he added that Ms. Allen was not at the scene when the deputy arrived.

Taylor said that Ms. Allen was 50 pounds heavier and several inches taller than Ms. Fountain.

“It has always been legal for someone to protect themselves inside their own home. I believe that is what we have here,” he said.