CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee -(WDEF) Police have arrested Laura Morgan,48 and charged her with the first degree murder of James Masingill, 73.
Police said Morgan called them to a residence at 3401 Orchard Avenue and stated she struck Masingill in the head with a crowbar.
The two reportedly resided at the home.
Investigators said Masingill was found dead at the scene with visible serious trauma to the head.
Several neighbors said Morgan was a well known neighborhood prostitute who was addicted to drugs years before Masengill met her.
"He took her off the streets. He gave her a home and gave her anything she wanted," said nearby neighbor Sheila Brown who knew both the victim and the suspect.
"He befriended her and tried to help her and had been taking care of her," said nearby neighbor William Roper.
Neighbors who knew Morgan said she lost both of her legs due to an illness so Masegill had a ramp built so she could easily wheelchair her way in and out of the house. Neighbors say being handicapped, she didn't fit the mold of a killer.
"I've only met has a couple of times but she was a normal person and not a psycho that you would think to be handicapped," said Roper.
"She was nice. She really was. She would come over before her legs were amputated and site down with me and have a coke," said Brown.
Brown told WDEF, the last time she spoke to Morgan, it sounded like there was a strain in the relation she had with Masingill.
"She said he couldn't put up with her. Something like that," said Brown.
In addition to the murder charge, Morgan is also facing charges of aggravated robbery.
Jail authorities told WDEF that Morgan has a criminal past that includes arrest for prostitution, theft and being a fugitive.
