Rhode Island woman accused of killing father with garden shears

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — A Rhode Island woman is accused of killing her father with a pair of garden shears earlier this week, authorities said.

>> Read more trending news

Jennifer Pamula, 38, of Woonsocket, was arrested on Monday and charged with first-degree murder, according to online records filed with the 6th Division District Court.

Pamula is accused of killing her father, 70-year-old Joseph Pamula of Woonsocket, WPRI-TV reported.

Officers with the Woonsocket Police Department said they were called to a residence on Monday night by Danielle Pamula, the suspect’s twin sister, according to WJAR-TV. Police said they found Joseph Pamula inside the home, covered in blood and “a large pair of garden shears sticking out of his neck,” WPRI reported.

Court documents stated that Jennifer Pamula was covered in blood at the scene and told officers “I had to do it” and and “I can’t be hurt anymore” when questioned about the attack, according to the television station.

“It was certainly, it was a violent death, that our officers immediately, when they responded into the scene, knew that they were dealing with what was going to be a homicide,” Woonsocket police Chief Thomas Oates told reporters.

The police chief added that law enforcement authorities had responded to a few domestic issues in previous years.

“We had been out there on prior occasions for issues of domestic in nature, but none of them rose to the fact that anyone was assaulted or there was any violence in the home,” Oates told reporters. “It was mainly some minor family disputes.”

According to court documents, officers reportedly learned from Danielle Pamula that her sister and father had a heated argument about “selling the house and getting rid of 12 cats,” WJAR reported.

Jennifer Pamula was hospitalized and arraigned from her hospital bed, according to WPRI.

She did not enter a plea and is now being held without bail, online records show.

©2023 Cox Media Group