James Paul Anderson was in court to accept a plea deal that would have given him a 35-year prison sentence.
HOUSTON — A man accused of killing his wife died Friday after suffering a medical emergency during a court appearance in Houston.
James Paul Anderson was on trial for allegedly killing his wife, 34-year-old Victoria Anderson, at their home.
Anderson had been out on a $300,000 bond while facing the murder charge. Authorities said he was in court on Friday to accept a plea and agree to be sentenced to 35 years in prison.
Shortly after he got to the 208th District Court at the Criminal Justice Center in Houston, he “experienced a medical emergency,” officials said.
Witnesses said Anderson talked to his attorney for a little while before asking for a few moments alone. When he got back, the witnesses said he spit something into a trash can. Minutes later, he started vomiting and became visibly ill.
Officers moved him into a back room, and more law enforcement officers showed up. A bailiff administered naloxone, which is used to rapidly reverse opioid overdoses, before EMS got there.
Eventually, paramedics were called and wheeled him away on a gurney.
KHOU 11 News learned that Anderson’s attorney checked the trash can and found a bag with a brown, crystal-like substance, believed to be meth. After the bag was found, the judge cleared the courtroom, declaring it a possible crime scene.
Anderson was taken to Ben Taub Hospital, where he was pronounced dead just after 11 a.m.
While naloxone was administered, it’s unclear if Anderson actually took any drugs. An autopsy will be done to find out what happened.
The crime
In September 2023, Victoria called 911 and told an operator that her husband was threatening to shoot her at their Kingwood-area home. Then, the operator reported hearing a gunshot, according to investigators.
When police got to the home, James Anderson allowed the couple’s 3-year-old son to leave the house before barricading himself inside. A standoff lasted several hours before he surrendered, and his wife’s body was found inside. At the time, prosecutors said they believed the child had seen his mother get killed.
Authorities said there had been previous reports of domestic issues at the house, and Victoria filed for divorce about a month before she was killed.
James Anderson worked in the special education department at a Cleveland ISD school.
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