ROCK SPRINGS — A woman charged with attempted second-degree murder could see at least 20 years in prison, with the possibility of a life sentence, if convicted of an alleged attack that left her son shot in the neck June 21.
Alice Ione Halstead, 57, is being held at the Sweetwater County Detention Center on a $250,000 cash or surety bond after making an initial appearance in Sweetwater County Circuit Court Monday. Along with the attempted second-degree murder charge, Halstead was also charged with misdemeanor domestic battery and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance in a plant form.
The felony has a mandatory 20-year minimum sentence, with a maximum possible sentence of life in prison, as well as a fine of up to $10,000. Domestic battery is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $750, while misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance in plant form is punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
The Shooting
According to court documents, Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to a residence in Rock Springs to respond to a shooting. When deputies arrived, they found Halstead’s son, 37-year-old Cameron Colley, in the residence’s south-side bedroom with a bullet wound in his neck. Deputies applied pressure to Colley’s wound until an ambulance arrived.
Halstead told deputies she shot Colley with a revolver because he was going to hit her with a guitar handle. She said the two had gotten into an argument prior to shooting him. She also said Colley didn’t have anything in his hands when she shot him.
A “Pretty Normal Day”
Colley was interviewed at the University of Utah Medical Center, where he was being treated for his injuries. Colley told sheriff’s office detectives he spent the day playing video games with his son while Halstead watched women’s basketball in her room
“It was a pretty normal day,” he told detectives.
Colley said he decided to drink a couple of beers and some whiskey, then made his son lunch. Colley said he wasn’t sure what caused Halstead to start yelling at him, thinking it was related to his drinking, and told detectives it wasn’t important as he was trying to finish making the meal, but he said he got tired of being yelled at and yelled back at Halstead.
Colley said Halstead found a walking stick in her bedroom and alleged she hit him across the back with it. He said he snatched it out of her hands and broke it in half so she wouldn’t hit him with it again. Colley said he went back to Halstead’s bedroom and told her to stop hitting him with sticks and alleged that she pulled the gun out as he was walking away. He claims she said something and when he turned around to find out what she was saying, court documents state he told detectives “that is when everything went black and started coughing blood.”
The Revolver Discovered
On June 23, Undersheriff Joseph Tomich searched the home and discovered several small packages of suspected marijuana along with multiple “marijuana consumption devices.” He also found a five-shot revolved speed loader with two rounds of .38 special JHP ammunition, as well as a clear ammunition box containing 18 rounds of assorted loaded .38 special ammunition.
911 Call
Tomich obtained a recording of the 911 call Halstead made June 21. During that call, she alleged Colley had been hitting her and said she shot him with a .38 caliber revolver. She alleged Colley had been drunk for three days and claimed he had beaten her for three hours. She said she told Colley to get out, but he wouldn’t leave, saying she shot him because she was fearful for her life.
