Man charged with involuntary manslaughter in shooting of girlfriend in Independence

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. - A 31-year-old Independence man was legally drunk and arguing with his girlfriend when she was shot and killed inside their home Saturday.

Those allegations were contained in legal documents supporting charges of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action filed Sunday against Sean W. Ray by the Jackson County Prosecutor.

Police were called to the home Ray shared with Kari Jean Tabor, 46, shortly after noon Saturday by Ray, who told them he had accidentally shot Tabor in the stomach with a .22 rifle. She later died.

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Officers reported noting that Ray’s breath smelled of alcohol, and tests administered later that day showed his blood alcohol content to have been more than twice the legal driving limit.

Officers recovered a .22 rifle from the home and interviewed Ray, who waived his Miranda rights. He first told officers that the shooting was accidental – the result of either loading or removing the clip from the rifle.

He later said he and Tabor had been arguing, at which time he deliberately pointed the weapon at her. Tabor reportedly moved to push the rifle barrel away about the time it went off, striking her in the stomach. Ray, however, insisted that he did not intentionally fire the gun.