A former Texas special education teacher accused of fatally shooting his wife in 2023 suffered a deadly medical emergency in court, moments before he was slated to accepted a plea and be sentenced to decades in prison for murder.
James Paul Anderson, 39, had just arrived at the Criminal Justice Center in Houston when his health failed on Friday. He was there to be sentenced to 35 years as part of a plea agreement for the murder of 34-year-old Victoria Anderson.
Witnesses told KHOU that Anderson spoke briefly to his attorney and then requested a moment alone. When he returned, he reportedly spit something into the garbage before he started to violently vomit.
“A bailiff for the court administered naloxone before EMS arrived,” the Harris County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement to PEOPLE. “He was transported by the Houston Fire Department to Ben Taub Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 11:05 a.m.”
Sources told KHOU that Anderson’s attorney checked the trash and found a bag containing a brown, crystal-like substance, believed to be meth. While naloxone was administered, it was unclear on Saturday if Anderson ingested any drugs.
An autopsy is pending to determine his cause of death.
On the night of Sept. 24, 2023, Victoria called 911 for help, telling the dispatcher her husband had been threatening to shoot her, according to press release issued at the time. Moments later, the dispatcher heard the sound of a gun firing.
When officers arrived at their residence in Kingwood, Anderson allowed the couple’s 3-year-old son to leave the house before barricading himself inside. A hours-long standoff followed before James eventually surrendered to authorities. Inside the home, they found Victoria dead.