Man accused of killing wife dies after ‘medical emergency’ in court, TX cops say

A man accused of killing his wife “ingested” a substance while in court and died, just moments before a scheduled plea deal, Texas officials say.

James Anderson, who was accused of killing his wife Victoria Andersonin Kingwood in 2023, “experienced a medical emergency during a court appearance” and died, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office said in a Sept. 26 news release.

Officials say Anderson was expected to agree to a plea deal that would have put him in prison for 35 years and was about to accept the deal when the medical emergency happened.

While EMS made their way to the scene, a courtroom bailiff gave Anderson a dose of naloxone, officials said. Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, is intended to save people experiencing drug overdose.

“Preliminary info is that a defendant ingested drugs while awaiting sentencing at the criminal courthouse,” Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen said in a post on X. While Rosen doesn’t name the defendant, the post was made the same day Anderson died.

Anderson’s attorney discovered a bag inside a trashcan containing what appeared to be meth, KHOU reported, adding that a judge cleared everyone out of the room as it could potentially be a crime scene.

Anderson was a special education teacher with Cleveland Independent School District when, in September 2023, authorities say he fatally shot his wife during a standoff with police at their home in Kingwood, KPRC reported.

A cause of death has not been announced as of Sept. 28, and officials say an investigation is underway.