Woman accused of shooting man in car was trying to leave him, affidavit says

A woman accused of shooting her boyfriend in a car last month told Wichita police detectives he was physically abusing and threatening her leading up to the killing.

Crystal K. Rotramel and Richard J. Hamm Jr. had been dating for about six months and living together when he was shot once in the head Feb. 5 while in a car on the eastbound Kellogg on-ramp at Meridian shortly before noon Feb. 5.

Rotramel, 30, of Wichita, is charged with one count of intentional second-degree murder. Hamm was 40.

According to an affidavit written by one of the detectives, Rotramel said Hamm accused her of cheating on him “so she told him she was done with the relationship and was going back to her husband.”

While she was putting property into her vehicle — including a gun she’d bought herself in December and one of Hamm’s jackets — Hamm tried to restrain her. She got away and ran to the vehicle but he followed and also got inside when she unlocked the doors.

“Crystal stated she started to drive off north on Meridian at a high rate of speed with the gun in the driver’s door pocket. While she was driving, Richard told her to give him the jacket and he would get out of the vehicle. Crystal said she threw the jacket out of the window and Richard became angry,” the affidavit states.

“Richard told her he was going to push her out of the vehicle and even reached over approximately two times trying to open her door. Crystal said she grabbed the gun with her left hand and held it in the air threatening to shoot him if he didn’t stop. Richard told her to shoot him multiple times and kept pushing her towards the door.

“When they arrived at Kellogg and Meridian, she conducted a u-turn to get onto Kellogg and Richard put the car in park while she was driving” and caused the vehicle to stop, the affidavit states.

Immediately afterward, Rotramel heard a gunshot and saw that a bullet had hit Hamm, the affidavit continues.

She did not recall pointing the gun at Hamm or having her finger on the trigger, it says.

Officers found Rotramel sitting on a curb outside the vehicle when they arrived after another motorist called 911. Hamm was dead in the passenger seat with a gunshot wound to the left side of his neck.

Rotramel is due in court March 23 for a preliminary hearing on the murder charge. She is free on $100,000 bond.

This story was originally published March 17, 2017 at 6:41 PM with the headline "Woman accused of shooting man in car was trying to leave him, affidavit says."