MADISONVILLE-A Sweetwater area woman has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of her husband, an act that only came to light after a witness came forward, law enforcement officials said.

John Wayne Coffman died on Dec. 3 last month, a death that initially attributed to an accidental drug overdose. Coffman was reported to have been suffering from epiglatic cancer and COPD and was on various medications.

Monroe County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Cansler responded to the scene on Thompson Farm Road where Coffman's wife, Karen Coffman, said she had laid down in bed around noon and when she got back up at 2:45 p.m., Coffman was sitting in his recliner, not breathing.

Cansler said he found two empty bottles of liquid Hydrocodone, an empty bottle of Valium and an empty bottle of anti-depressants near the recliner and on Coffman.

See full story in the Sunday, Jan. 13, edition of The Advocate & Democrat.