Woman claims self-defense in slaying of boyfriend

By Ricardo Torres-Cortez

Friday, Feb. 12, 2016 | 3:57 p.m.

A woman accused of killing her boyfriend said she thought he was reaching for a gun when she opened fire with a shotgun, according to a Metro Police arrest report released today.

But an investigation determined Aaron Matthews was not armed and was shot in the back, police said.

Now, his girlfriend of some four years, Catherine Brewington, 54, faces a murder count in the shooting Wednesday that followed a physical fight, the report said.

According to police, an argument broke out about 7:30 p.m. between the couple in the 4700 block of Sweeping Glen Street, west of the 215 Beltway and Lone Mountain Road.

Brewington told police Matthews, whose age was not available, choked her and pulled her hair. An investigation found she had cuts and scratches on her upper body, police said.

After Matthews attacked her, Brewigton said, she went to get Matthews’ handgun but could not find it, so she assumed he had it, according to the report.

The fight continued in the driveway as she loaded three dogs into a pickup truck.

A witness told police the couple were about two to three feet apart when she saw Brewington point the shotgun at Matthews, according to the report. The witness heard Brewington yell something to the effect of “stay away” or “get away from me,” before a shot rang out, police said.

Brewington told police she shot Matthews in the chest, but that contradicted the investigation, which determined Matthews was shot in the back, the report said.

Brewington, who was being held at the Clark County Detention Center, is scheduled to make a court appearance on Tuesday.