MADISONVILLE-A Sweetwater area woman accused of killing her husband last month with an intentional drug overdose, has been sent for a mental evaluation to see if she is competent to stand trial.

Karen Coffman, 56, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her husband, an act that only came to light after a witness came forward, law enforcement officers said.

John Wayne Coffman died on Dec. 3, a death that initially attributed to an accidental drug overdose. Coffman was reported to have been suffering from epiglatic cancer and COPD and was on various medications.

Coffman was in Monroe County General Sessions Court Tuesday where Judge Reed Dixon ruled she be sent to Cherokee Health Center in Knoxville to see if she is mentally competent to stand trial.

See full story in the Sunday, Jan. 20, edition of The Advocate & Democrat.