A 27-year-old woman was charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of her boyfriend in a Midtown apartment Friday night, according to Anchorage police.
Bonnie Degenstein called 911 at 10:16 p.m. and said that she and Ryan Tamborrino, 24, were drinking and "playing with guns." She said she accidently shot Tamborrino in the head, police said.
When police arrived at the upstairs apartment, in the 500 block of West 54th Avenue, they found Degenstein sitting on a couch just inside the front door and Tamborrino on a nearby couch "slumped over and bleeding profusely from the head, but still breathing," according to the charges filed by Jason Gist, assistant district attorney.
Police said there was a .45-caliber handgun and a .40-caliber handgun on a coffee table in front of the two couches and two spent shell casings on the floor, the charges said. There was also vodka bottle that was nearly empty and a shot glass about three-fourths full on the table, the charges said.
Medics arrived and took Tamborrino to a local hospital, police said. "Tamborrino later died from what appeared to be a direct contact gunshot wound to his forehead," according to the charges.
When police removed Degenstein from the apartment she "made a statement to the effect of, 'I can't believe I did this,'" the charges said. Police said she smelled of alcohol and had blood on her pants, sandals and a foot.
A downstairs neighbor, identified in the charges as Jacinta Parham, said she wasn't home at the time of the shooting but she was Tamborrino's roommate at one time and also knew Degenstein.
Parham said that on Wednesday she heard Tamborrino yelling at Degenstein, "telling her she needed to leave." Parham said she drove Degenstein back to her home and said that on the drive Degenstein told her they were arguing "because she found out he was dating other women," the charges said.
At Degenstein's first court appearance Saturday afternoon at Anchorage Jail, a magistrate judge set bail at $300,000. Degenstein faces up to 99 years in prison and up to a $500,000 fine with a presumptive minimum sentence of 10 to 20 years.
Degenstein told the judge her family had made arrangements for an attorney. She held up a white paper to shield her face for most of proceedings, which lasted about 10 minutes.
More than 10 people filed out of the courtroom after attending Degenstein's hearing. Family and friends would not comment on the charges.
Degenstein was convicted for driving under the influence in 2012.
Her next court appearance is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday.
Reach Tegan Hanlon at thanlon@adn.com or 257-4589.
By TEGAN HANLON
thanlon@adn.com