BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — UPDATE: The Kern County District Attorney's Office released a statement that the case has reached a resolution. Sandra Bonertz accepted pleas of no contest to a charge of voluntary manslaughter with a gun of her 84-year-old friend, Winnie Smith.
The condition of the plea includes Bonertz sentenced to ten years in prison.
23ABC obtained the Bakersfield Police Department report that describes details in the July killing at Pinewood Glen Retirement Community.
One resident reported hearing two gunshots the night before police were called to the scene but wasn't alarmed because he regularly hears gunshots in the area, according to the police report.
A caretaker reported that the victim said if anything should happen to her to contact someone but shed didn't think it was unusual since the victim had been previously been in a vehicle crash, according to the police report.
According to BPD, on July 11 officers responded to the Pinewood Glen Retirement Community on South Real Road just after 9 am. When they arrived they found a woman, 83-year-old Winnie Smith, with major injuries from a gunshot on the ground inside one of the rooms.
After investigating, officers discovered the woman's roommate killed her sometime the night before.
The roommate later identified as 76-year-old Sandra Bonertz, who cooperated with the investigation and was arrested.
According to the police report, Bonertz initially told officers the firearm was in her dresser but they later found it under a blanket covering her.
Bonertz has since been charged with first-degree murder.
