Donlon to face murder charge

Frontiersman

PALMER — A woman a grand jury previously declined to indict for murder in the shooting death of her husband was in jail as of Friday afternoon, charged with murder and manslaughter.

Details of the case were hazy with district attorneys assigned to prosecute it having taken time off for Christmas. But court records show Lisa Donlon, 38, is charged with second-degree murder, though a jury could choose to convict her instead of the lesser charge of manslaughter. The case was opened Thursday.

Jail records Friday afternoon showed she was being housed at the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility.

Donlon’s husband, Jason Donlon, was found shot to death Oct. 7 in the Palmer area. He was in bed at the time and was shot six times in the back, likely while sleeping. Lisa Donlon readily admitted she was the shooter. She also shot one of the couple’s dogs. Although prosecutors brought forward murder charges at the time, a Palmer grand jury chose not to indict her.

Palmer District Attorney Roman Kalytiak said at the time that though he couldn’t peer into the minds of the jurors, he suspected evidence presented at her indictment hearing persuaded jurors her actions were justified.

Donlon claimed her husband had abused her. Kalytiak used the word “torture” to describe the abuse, saying that the abuse was more severe than in other abuse cases.

“She told the troopers that in her attempt to escape the torture she shot him,” Kalytiak said at the time.

Kalytiak said he anticipated public opinion on the matter would be mixed. If the Frontiersman’s online comment boards are any indication, he was right. Some people stood up for Donlon, commenting that they believed she acted to end the abuse. Some doubted her motives and heaped scorn on the district attorney’s office. A number of those leaving comments claim to know the couple personally and to be writing based on what they’d seen.

The grand jury’s failure to indict Donlon on such a serious charge is fairly unusual, at least as far as grand juries at the Palmer Courthouse go. Also unusual was law enforcement’s decision not to arrest her prior to the grand jury proceedings. Police sometimes make that decision in less serious cases, but Kalytiak said although it was unusual to leave Donlon at-large, there was no indication that she would flee.

“She did not deny that she shot her husband,” Kalytiak said. “I don’t think there was any indication that she would leave.”

It is unclear why officers chose to arrest her on these new charges. Court records show she made an initial court appearance Friday and is next due in court on Monday.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.