A teacher passed away from a suspected drug overdose just before his scheduled sentencing for the brutal killing of his wife. James Anderson was supposed to go to court to accept a 35-year prison term following the shooting death of his wife, Victoria, in 2023.
However, he experienced a medical crisis just before reaching the court due to an overdose. Court personnel administered medication to counter the opioid overdose before he was taken to a nearby hospital. He died just after 11 a.m. on Friday.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office reported, “Shortly after arriving in court, Anderson experienced a medical emergency.” A court bailiff administered naloxone before emergency medical services arrived. He was rushed by the Houston Fire Department to Ben Taub Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 11:05 a.m.
Officials mentioned that an autopsy would be performed as it was believed that he had consumed drugs. The former special education teacher had fatally shot his wife at their Texas residence in front of their three-year-old son.
After fatally shooting his wife, Anderson was apprehended following a distressing 911 call made by his wife pleading for help. She informed dispatchers that her husband was threatening her, and moments later, a gunshot was heard during the call.
Law enforcement and a SWAT team were dispatched to the house, leading to a tense five-hour standoff before his arrest. During the standoff, he allowed his young son to leave the property, who was subsequently taken to a local hospital for evaluation and later discharged.
Upon entering the residence, authorities found Victoria with a gunshot wound. Sadly, paramedics confirmed her death shortly after. While the reason behind the fatal shooting was unclear, police noted previous reports of domestic conflicts at the home.
Anderson had been a teacher since 2022 and served as the Special Education Department Chair at Santa Fe Middle School. Before his teaching career, he operated a clown business under the aliases ‘Mister Jazzz’ and ‘Mr. Jazzz the Clown’, based on business records.
This incident occurred shortly after an 80-year-old man allegedly entered his neighbor’s home and fatally shot an 11-year-old girl before confessing to killing his wife at their residence. Reuben Leonard from South Carolina is charged with murdering his neighbor’s granddaughter Ashly McFarland after entering their house with an assault rifle and opening fire on several individuals on April 16, just before 11 p.m.
