UNICOI COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The 29-year-old man who confessed to killing his girlfriend early Sunday morning appeared in court Tuesday, and new details about the case emerged.

According to an affidavit, Tyler Lee Owens told police his girlfriend “pulled a gun and pointed it to her own head” during an argument.

Owens claimed that the gun fired as he attempted to take it away, hitting her in the neck, and he “did not know what to do and at one point attempted to call 911 but never sent the call,” according to the affidavit.

Later that day on Sunday evening, Owens went to Quantum Leap and Cheddars with his ex-girlfriend and her family, the affidavit stated.

The affidavit said later that night, Owens “attempted to clean with bleach” and proceeded to “move the body…by wrapping her in a tent and [putting her body] in her own vehicle.”

Police revealed they allegedly found an empty shell case in one of Owens’ pants pockets, and he reportedly claimed that the casing was from the early-morning shooting that killed his girlfriend.

Watch the full court hearing below:

Earlier reports indicated that Owens ran from police on Monday when they arrived at the 100 block of Jones Branch Road in response to a suspicious death tip.

When Unicoi County deputies knocked on the front door of the camper Owens is reported to have lived in, a voice told officers, “Just a minute,” from inside, but another deputy found Owens climbing out a back window, according to an affidavit.

Owens ran 100 yards into a nearby wooded area, according to police, and “Owens turned to face deputies” with what appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun “that he appeared to be raising up in the direction of deputies” and reportedly threw the gun away from himself.

The affidavit states that as three officers worked to arrest Owens, he reportedly continued to resist the arrest with his right arm tucked beneath him, which deputies feared was an attempt to produce another weapon.

Officers were able to handcuff Owens and found a pocketknife inside the front left pocket of his clothing, according to the affidavit.

Two officers with the Unicoi County Sheriff’s Office received minor injuries during the struggle, the affidavit states.

Owens has been charged with the following:

  • Second-degree murder
  • Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
  • Tampering with evidence
  • Abuse of a corpse
  • Evading arrest
  • Resisting arrest
  • Three counts of aggravated assault

The affidavit states that Owens claimed he ran because “he has multiple outstanding warrants in NC and that he is a convicted felon.”

Owens was denied bond.

News Channel 11 has not released the name of the victim.