Wife of man fatally shot during alleged home invasion: 'He shot him in the back'

VAN ZANDT COUNTY, TX (KLTV) - The estranged wife of an East Texas man fatally shot while allegedly carrying out a home invasion, says he was residing in the house.

Van Zandt County Sheriff's investigators say 40-year-old Michael Todd Brown drove to a home near Ben Wheeler in April. They say he fired a handgun and then reportedly threatened the homeowner, who returned fire.

Brown's death is still under investigation, but his wife says an autopsy she obtained reveals he was shot from behind. She says her husband was not an intruder.

"Michael was living there and dating the daughter, Lisa Gentry. He was there daily. The man knew him," says Paula Brown.

She says now that her husband is gone she wants to be his voice.

"I don't have peace of mind. It really upsets me because I wasn't there, but I know somewhat what was going on from what my husband was telling me," she says.

Paula says Brown went to his girlfriend's home to pick up his personal belongings.

"Jacob Cooksey drove him back over there later that evening to get his stuff because he wanted out. From what I understand, even the sheriff's department said that there were bags out in the yard and in the car already," she says.

"There was a male voice yelling either get off my property or something to that effect," said neighbor Sarah Mayne just hours after the incident occurred in April. "I went inside for a second and heard a gunshot. When I came back out I heard another male voice like he was trying to say no don't do that we can go. So, it seemed like who was ever there was wanting to go ahead and leave without getting hurt."

Paula says she believes there was no reason to shoot Brown from behind.

"I don't understand why he says he felt threatened. I mean to be right here and to have a rifle on somebody … on their back, you can't feel threatened. I mean, he shot him in the back," she says.

According to the autopsy, Michael Todd Brown was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of his death.