According to a report by The Independent on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, a dramatic scene unfolded at Houston’s Criminal Justice Center on Friday when a man accused of murdering his wife collapsed and died in court just moments before he was set to plead guilty.
The defendant, 37-year-old James Paul Anderson, was expected to accept a plea agreement that would have sentenced him to 35 years in prison for the killing of his wife, Victoria Anderson, aged 34. Instead, proceedings took an unexpected turn when Anderson suffered what authorities described as a “medical emergency” shortly after entering the courtroom.
According to prosecutors, Anderson was given immediate medical attention, including the administration of naloxone, a drug commonly used to reverse opioid overdoses. Despite efforts to revive him, he was rushed to Ben Taub Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Witnesses told local media that before the incident, Anderson had spoken quietly with his lawyer and requested a moment alone. Upon returning, he appeared to spit something into a trash can. Soon after, he began vomiting, looked visibly unwell, and then collapsed in front of the judge.
Anderson had been free on a $300,000 bond while awaiting trial for the September 24, 2023 murder of his wife at their home in the Kingwood area of Houston. That night, Victoria Anderson made a desperate 911 call reporting that her husband was threatening her with a firearm. Dispatchers reportedly heard a gunshot during the call.
When police arrived, Anderson barricaded himself inside the residence. He eventually released the couple’s three-year-old son unharmed before surrendering after a tense standoff that lasted several hours. Authorities believe the child may have witnessed his mother’s killing. Inside the home, officers found Victoria Anderson dead from a gunshot wound.
Court filings later revealed that Victoria had filed for divorce only a month before her death, and neighbors recalled prior disturbances at the residence.
Anderson, who once served as chair of the Special Education Department at Santa Fe Middle School, had been placed on administrative leave after his arrest.
The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences has confirmed that an autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death.