Woman sought protection from ex-husband who killed her, records show

DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) - A murdered woman filed a Protection Order request against her ex-husband last week, days before he shot and killed her in Dothan on Wednesday.

Reinetta Ann Lewis claimed her ex-husband had bipolar disorder and threw temper tantrums, resulting in damage to her home. The couple, in their 60s, had been married for less than three years, court records reveal.

According to a police statement released on March 7, Ansell Elijah Lewis is suspected to have shot his wife multiple times in the front yard of her Bunche Street home, then went inside the residence, where he took his own life.

Reinetta Lewis died at the house, with her identity confirmed by Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd.

She filed the Protection from Abuse motion last Thursday, and a judge set a March 14 hearing.

Ms. Lewis filed for divorce in December 2023, and a Houston County judge granted that divorce in January 2024.

She claimed she and her husband frequently argued.

Dothan Police spokesperson Lt. Scott Owens told reporters the incident remains under investigation, and additional details are pending public release.

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