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Williams Woman Arrested On Perjury Charges

Last updated on Thursday, March 23, 2017

(BLOOMFIELD) - A Williams woman has been arrested after police say she lied while testifying in a 2016 attempted murder case.

According to a Greene County Circuit Court probable cause affidavit, Greene County detectives say the firearm used by Shawn Dotson in the attempted murder case had been in the possession of 48-year-old Michelle Sanders of Williams. Sanders was in a relationship with Dotson.

However, Sanders stated in a deposition that Dotson had at no point handled the gun.

On November 24, 2016, Dotson allegedly shot Eric Townsend as he exited his vehicle following an argument. Townsend was shot in the neck with the bullet lodging in his shoulder.

Dotson called police and reported that he and a witness had come across Townsend and found him laying in the roadway.

Dotson was arrested on felony charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery and criminal recklessness with a firearm. He is being held in the Greene County Jail on a $40,000 cash only bond. A jury trial is scheduled for April 25th at 9 a.m.

During the initial investigation of the shooting, an eyewitness told officers that the firearm, a Taurus PT92, was the same one that had killed Sanders' husband in March 2016. Lawrence County Police determined Robert Sanders died from a single self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Police found a picture of Dotson holding the gun at Sanders' home on Dotson's cellphone.

On November 29, a Greene County Sheriff Department detective went to Sander's home and explained that they believed the gun used to shoot Townsend was her gun.

But Sanders told police that was not possible because the gun had been locked in a safe.

Later that same day Sanders spoke to Dotson on a recorded line at the Greene County Jail. During that conversation Sanders told Dotson officers had taken the gun. Dotson reportedly responded by telling Sanders that he only handled the firearm while unloaded.

Sanders participated in a deposition on February 23 at the Greene County Jail at the request of Dotson. During that deposition Sanders told Dotson's attorney that the gun had remained in her gun safe since it was returned to her by Lawrence County police after the investigation into her husband's death and that no one had the combination to the safe but her so it was not possible for Dotson to have used the gun.

On December 8, 2016 the Indiana State Police confirmed the bullet that injured Townsend was fired from Sander's gun.

Police say Sanders lied under oath when she swore Dotson never handled the handgun.

Sanders was arrested on a warrant for perjury, a Level 6 felony. She is being held at the Greene County Jail on a $4,000 bond with 10 percent allowed.

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