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Anderson woman admits killing her grandmother and shooting her in the back

An Anderson woman pleaded guilty Friday to shooting her grandmother after she was kicked out of her home for stealing from her.

Crystal Ann Odom, 31, faces life in prison without the possibility of parole for shooting the woman she considered her grandmother twice in the back in October 2023. Her sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 13 in Shasta County Superior Court.

On Friday, Odom admitted to murdering 64-year-old Teri Mares of Anderson on Oct. 27, 2023, at a mobile home park at 19964 Riverside Ave. in Anderson.

According to a sheriff's report, deputies were called to the trailer park shortly after 9 p.m. when a neighbor reported a shooting there.

When officers arrived, they found a woman named Mares in the back bedroom of the house. Prosecutors said she had been shot twice in the back. Investigators found two shell casings from a .45-caliber handgun on the floor next to Mares' body, the sheriff's report said.

Toni Mortellaro, a friend of Mares, told sheriff's investigators that Odom hit her in the back of the head two or three times with a gun, the sheriff's report said.

Morterello told investigators she was visiting Mares and the two were watching a movie the night of the shooting. At one point, Mares went into a back bedroom and was there for about 10 minutes when Mortellaro heard “loud bangs,” according to the sheriff's report.

After hearing the bangs, Mortellaro ran out of the house and into the street. As she ran, Odom hit her in the head with a gun, the report said. Mortellaro was taken to the hospital, where she was treated and released.

Mortellaro also told officers that Odom and her brother had been living with Mares but had recently been evicted from their home, the report said.

“Since then, there have been repeated problems between them and Mares,” the report says.

In the report, investigators said they spoke to Odom's brother, who told them Crystal Odom stole money from her grandmother and made statements “to get back at her grandmother.”

After being kicked out of Mares' home, Odom moved into a home on Millicent Street in Anderson. A woman who lived at that home told investigators that a black .45-caliber Kimber handgun she owned was missing, the report said.

A day after the shooting, sheriff's officials obtained an arrest warrant for Odom. When they searched her, they found that she was carrying the stolen .45-caliber pistol, the report said.

During an interview with investigators, Odom said she stole the gun and took an Uber to Mares' house. There, she went into the backyard and broke into the house through a bathroom window, the report said.

According to the report, she told investigators she waited for Mares to come into the bedroom to shoot her.

“Odom then chased Mortellaro outside and struck her twice in the back of the head with the stolen gun,” the report said.

In their plea on Friday, prosecutors said Odom admitted to killing Mares with a firearm, ambushing her and numerous other aggravating circumstances related to the crime.

Reporter Damon Arthur welcomes story tips at 530-338-8834, via email at [email protected] and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @damonarthur_RS. Support local journalism by subscribing today!

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