96-year-old Florida woman accused of shooting, killing nephew

A tragedy.

That's how neighbors are describing the alleged shooting death of a Florida man at the hands of his 96-year-old aunt.

96-year-old Amanda Stevenson was wheeled into St. John's County Courtroom Monday, accused of killing her 53-year-old nephew John Rice with a .357 magnum handgun.

The day before, police say Stevenson went into her nephew's bedroom with the gun and shot him in his sleep. Rice's wife found her husband dead in the bedroom.

Stevenson is the oldest person to ever be charged with murder in the state of Florida.

According to police, next door neighbors told investigators they though they heard a loud noise around 6 Sunday morning. Those same neighbors told police they thought it was the sound of a car door being slammed loudly.

"Just heard a noise. It was like a banging noise," said neighbor Karen Soukiasian.

Soukiasian said Rice had taken his aunt into his home several moths ago, but there had been problems.

"I mean we knew they were trying to get help to get her out to find a place for her but nothing was working," said Soukiasian. "Social services had been there a number of times. Cops had been there a number of times. They asked for help and they just weren't getting it."

St. Augustine Police say a handgun was found at the scene.

At this point, investigators don't know where that weapon came from.