Former teacher's assistant accused of killing boyfriend found not guilty

SPALDING COUNTY, Ga. — A former teaching assistant accused of murder was found not guilty on all counts Wednesday.

Mary Katherine Higdon, 24 was on trial in Spalding County for the 2018 death of her high school sweetheart, Steven Freeman, 23. 

Police said she shot him in the chest at their home in Griffin. Higdon said the gun accidentally went off when she handed it to him.

Police argued that the evidence said otherwise.

Freeman's best friend, Thomas Skinner, testified that the relationship between Higdon and Freeman was toxic. 

"At first, I really liked her, I did. Things in that relationship I could see started getting more toxic, fighting and arguing, verbally fighting," Skinner said.

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Police said they’d been previously called out to the home five times in the past year – four times for animal issues and once for a domestic disturbance.

Family members painted a different picture.

Freeman’s uncle, Judge Josh Thacker, said  the couple had been together for seven years and their families were incredibly close, even sharing Christmas morning together.

“We’ve lost two people in this. We’ve lost Steven, but obviously our relationship will be changed with Mary Katherine and my heart goes out to the Higdon family because they are doing the same thing,” he said.

Cox Media Group