A Port Gibson woman was shot and killed in the front yard of a friend’s home Monday afternoon, and her estranged husband was in the Claiborne County Jail this morning charged with murder.

Luna Marie Hillary, 47, was shot in the head and was pronounced dead at the scene, in the 900 block of Marginal Street, Claiborne County Coroner J.W. Mallett said.

Port Gibson police Chief Calvin Jackson said Tommy L. Claiborne Jr., 22, 2015 Pinewood Ave., was being held without bond, pending an initial appearance in city court.

Jackson said the shooting was reported at about 1:45 p.m. outside a home where Hillary was staying. He said Claiborne was arrested about 3 p.m. on Gordon State Road.

The chief said the two were married for just more than a year, and recently separated. He said Hillary had said she was seeing a lawyer today.

Claiborne, Jackson said, went to the house to see Hillary and the two argued. He said Claiborne chased her, grabbed her and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, Jackson said, Claiborne grabbed his wife by the neck, put a gun to her head and pulled the trigger.

He said Claiborne ran to an uncle’s house in the 500 block of Walnut Street and got him to drive him to an undisclosed location.

“He told his uncle that some guys were going to jump him, and he’d pay him $10 to drive him away,” Jackson said.

The chief said the uncle’s girlfriend later found out what had happened and called him.

“They were on Gordon State Road and had a flat, when his girlfriend called him,” Jackson said. “He told her to call the police and give them the location where they were.”