Kansas Woman Sentenced to 24 Years for Fatally Shooting U.S. Army Husband in Face While He Held Baby, Prosecutors Say
FORT RILEY, KS – A 31-year-old Kansas woman has been sentenced to more than 24 years in federal prison after fatally shooting her U.S. Army soldier husband in the face while he was holding their baby, prosecutors announced.
Deadly Valentine’s Day Conviction
On Feb. 19, 2024, Margaret E. Shafe killed her husband, Greg Shafe, inside their Fort Riley home. In February this year, a jury convicted her of second-degree murder, and on Friday she was sentenced to 293 months — more than 24 years — behind bars, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas .
Threats Before the Murder
Court records show Margaret threatened Greg just minutes before carrying out the killing.
“I’m going to make him feel my f—ing pain, and he just laughs at me. And you know I’m the one that gets the last laugh. And I want him dead,” she said, according to a sentencing memo.
Roughly 20 minutes later, she grabbed her husband’s gun, waited upstairs, and shot him as he reached the landing while holding their 11-month-old baby. Greg collapsed into the bathroom, where his 9-year-old stepdaughter was brushing her hair.
Children Caught in the Chaos
The 9-year-old girl screamed, hid in the shower, then grabbed her baby sister before calling her biological father to report what happened. He immediately called 911.
Neither child was physically harmed.
Aftermath and Arrest
Prosecutors said Margaret fled the scene intoxicated, driving off base with the children before being arrested hours later.
While in jail, she allegedly bragged about the killing and even threw a “f— you birthday party” for Greg, making confetti out of paper scraps.
Prosecutors argued the murder was the result of years of emotional abuse Margaret inflicted on Greg, including belittling him while intoxicated and threatening to leave with their daughter.
Courtroom Testimony
The 9-year-old stepdaughter bravely testified against her mother during trial, helping secure the conviction.
“Margaret Shafe deserves to go to prison. The evidence in this case showed she murdered her husband while the couple’s two young daughters were in the home,” U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser said in a statement.
Do you think Kansas courts should have imposed an even longer sentence for Margaret Shafe, given the murder unfolded in front of two young children? Share your views with FatCityFeed.com.
