An alleged physical confrontation Friday night between Richard Dale Morris, 56, and Jessica Tullos, 44, at the Tullos’ residence on CR 2279 in the Tarkington area sent Morris by air ambulance to Hermann Memorial Hospital in Houston with a gunshot wound to the back of his head, according to a statement from the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office.
Morris’ condition was thought to be critical prior to boarding Life Flight.
According to Liberty County Sheriff’s Lead Investigator Robert Dunn, both Morris and Tullos allegedly were at the home of Tullos and drinking heavily.
“At some point in the evening, a physical confrontation broke out between the two and that is when Tullos went to a closet and secured a rifle while Morris went outside and was standing near the passenger side of Tullos’ vehicle,” the statement reads. “It was at this point that Tullos shot Morris in the back of the head.”
After the shooting, Tullos reportedly called the sheriff’s dispatcher on 9-1-1 and reported the shooting.
“At the same time, she admitted shooting Morris and told the dispatcher where she had put the rifle,” the statement reads.
At last report, Morris was thought to be in critical condition in a Houston hospital.
Jessica Tullos was arrested on the scene and placed in the Liberty County jail on a charge of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.