The night officers of the Wilmington Police Department responded to a 911 call about the shooting, they discovered Patillo on the floor of the apartment with a single gunshot wound to her head.
Officers then located a loaded Glock 9mm handgun and one spent 9mm shell casing.
Some time later, Spencer approached the officers and identified himself as the owner of the gun and the person who “dry fired” the gun thinking it was unloaded.
According to the 911 call obtained by StarNews, Spencer was distraught after the fact.
Patillo’s two roommates and one other male named Frank Dominic Williams were inside the apartment at the time.
Through interviews it was discovered that Williams took the gun from Spencer to clear out the chamber. When he was sure he’d cleared out the round, he handed it back to Spencer. But while the three of them started dancing in the living room, Spencer accidentally pulled the trigger, striking Patillo.
At Tuesday’s hearing, Spencer was sentenced to 36 months of supervised probation and a suspended sentence of 16 to 29 months.
As a condition of probation, he’ll also serve 60 days in custody: 30 days starting the day of the sentencing, and 15 days each on the next two anniversaries of Patillo's death.
Spencer will also be required to cooperate with the District Attorney’s Office on the development of a public service announcement regarding gun safety.
District Attorney Jason Smith and Assistant District Attorney William Van Trigt said in a statement, “With this tragic loss of life, we are reminded of a fundamental rule of firearm safety: always treat every gun as if it is loaded. Assumptions and lapses in protocol can have irreversible consequences. Gun safety is not just a practice — it is a responsibility we all share.”
Patillo's obituary can be found on the site for Bryan-Lee Funeral Homes, where anyone can purchase a tree to be planted in her honor.
