Woman accused of shooting, killing boyfriend with pellet gun in Tonopah

TONOPAH, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- A woman is accused of shooting and killing her boyfriend with a pellet gun in Tonopah earlier this week.

On Wednesday, just after midnight, Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a home on 339th Avenue, off of Salome Highway, after reports of a man shooting himself with a pellet gun. Firefighters arrived and found the man and his girlfriend, 40-year-old Danielle Cluff, arguing. Firefighters left the scene and waited for deputies to arrive. However, when deputies arrived, Cluff and the man had left the home.

Roughly two hours later, deputies were called to a nearby hospital and found Cluff’s boyfriend shot in the chest. Shortly after arriving at the hospital, he died from his injuries.

Court documents state Cluff and her boyfriend were arguing when she locked him out of the home. During the argument, the victim attempted to force his way back into the house, but Cluff shot him with a pellet gun, investigators said. Cluff claimed she wasn’t aware her boyfriend was standing in front of the door when she fired the pellet gun. The victim then told Cluff he had been shot in the chest, and she took him to the hospital. Cluff reportedly told deputies she didn’t intend to shoot her boyfriend and wanted to scare him instead. She also claimed she was upset her boyfriend broke her belongings during the argument.

Court paperwork states the two had also done methamphetamine earlier in the day and were drinking beer. Deputies say there were no prior domestic violence reports between the couple, and the victim never attacked Cluff in the past. Cluff was booked on one count of reckless manslaughter.

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