Richard Raciak: Florida man claims self-defense after fatally shooting GF Allison Sheehan in the back 4 times
ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA: A Florida man has been taken into custody and charged with murder after the suspect fatally shot his girlfriend in the back and claimed the act was self-defense. On Sunday morning, April 16, Richard Raciak, 48, was arrested and currently, he faces one count of first-degree murder with a firearm in connection to the murder of Allison Sheehan.
The 46-year-old woman is also the mother of Raciak's child. According to a press release on Raciak's arrest issued on Monday by the Orange County Sheriff's Office, the 48-year-old man "claimed it was self-defense when he shot Allison when her back was to him," reported Law&Crime.
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'I had to put her down'
On Sunday, Orange County deputies responded to Raciak's home located in the 2800 block of Smithfield Drive, and on arrival, they found Sheehan's body in the master bedroom with multiple gunshot injuries. The woman was rushed to Osceola Regional Hospital where she was later pronounced dead. The alleged murderer, who was on the scene, was shifted to Hunter's Creek Emergency Room where he was treated after he told first responders of being severely dehydrated.
Following the incident, police contacted Raciak's father. He had been at the home earlier in the day of the murder to celebrate the birthday of the couple's son. At approximately 3.30 pm, he left the place. However, the suspect's father told the investigators that he began receiving text messages at around 10.30 pm from his son who talked about a violent encounter between him and Sheehan. "Allison was attacking me. I had to fire shots. I had to put her down in self-defense. The only choice I had. Waiting on cops," Raciak wrote in the text messages
Raciak sent his father and brother a photo of the victim's dead body
Raciak urged his brother and father to retrieve cash from his safe. He also sent them both a photo of the victim's dead body. Following his release from the facility, the suspect explained to the investigators that he and his girlfriend had been together for nearly eight years. According to his statement, Sheehan reportedly took excessive amounts of alcohol during the birthday party for their son. Later that day, the woman attacked Raciak after they got into an argument. Raciak claimed that Sheehan attempted to "claw" his eyes out and he was pushed into a dresser.
The man then took a .40 caliber handgun placed inside a biometric safe on the bedside table. He allegedly told detectives that he aimed to shoot her in the leg and wanted to "put her down". He then claimed that he accidentally shot her in the back four times after he mistakenly "aimed high." The suspect admitted to shooting her when walked in the opposite direction and faced away from him, according to Orlando-News.