Woman shot dead trying to disarm boyfriend threatening suicide, Michigan cops say

A Michigan woman trying to stop her boyfriend from harming himself was fatally shot in a struggle over a handgun, police say.

Officers responded to a 911 call at 3:40 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, and arrived at a Midland home to find a 25-year-old woman dead on a bedroom floor, with a gunshot wound under her chin, according to a recently filed criminal complaint.

The woman’s name was Shayla Goretcki, news outlets reported.

Goretcki’s boyfriend, 24-year-old Chepard Hompstead, was at the apartment and spoke with police, telling them he and his girlfriend had been drinking and got into a fight, the complaint read.

Hompstead said he wanted to “de-escalate the situation” by leaving the apartment, and went into a bedroom to get his car keys, but Goretcki stood in the doorway, refusing to let him leave, according to police.

He told her he was going to kill himself, then grabbed his 9mm Glock from his nightstand, the complaint read. But “as he reached for the pistol, (Goretcki) grabbed it with both hands, and a brief struggle ensued.”

As they fought over the gun, it went off while pointed upward beneath Goretcki’s chin, “killing her instantly,” police said.

Hompstead was “reckless and grossly negligent,” and his behavior resulted in Goretcki’s death, the complaint read.

He’s facing charges including involuntary manslaughter and three weapons charges, and his bond is set at $1 million, records show.

McClatchy News reached out to an attorney for Hompstead but did not immediately hear back.

This story was originally published October 14, 2025 at 2:39 PM with the headline "Woman shot dead trying to disarm boyfriend threatening suicide, Michigan cops say."