Woman who killed two Bay St. Louis officers didn’t commit suicide, investigators now say

BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. (WLOX) - WLOX News has learned several new, key pieces of information about the state’s investigation into the deaths of two Bay St. Louis Police officers, and an Ocean Springs woman.

• Amy Anderson believed she was being followed by a white truck, and asked the motel clerk to call 911 for help.
• Anderson’s 8-year-old daughter was in the front passenger seat when the deadly shootings happened.
• The bullet that killed Anderson was not self-inflicted, but from one of the officers.

Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell gave WLOX News a more detailed timeline of that morning’s events. Amy Anderson checked into the Motel 6 in Bay St. Louis at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. By 3:35 a.m., a distressed Anderson asked the front desk manager to call 911. Four minutes later, Sergeant Steven Robin and Officer Branden Estorffe arrived and met with Anderson in her motel room. Anderson’s 8-year-old daughter and three dogs were also in the room.

Why was Anderson at the Bay St. Louis motel when she lived in Ocean Springs? She told the officers she was in fear for her life, and believed she was being followed by a white truck.

Tindell said based on what he observed on Officer Estorffe’s body camera, the officers talked with Anderson for about 40 minutes. A portion of the talk was described by Tindell as “pleasant conversation.”

However, the pleasant chat took a dark turn.

“During the course of the conversations with Ms. Anderson, the officers became concerned for the safety of her daughter,” said Tindell.

He wouldn’t elaborate on what made them concerned, only saying, “She had made a number of comments that had the officers concerned for the safety of the child.”

A decision was made by the two officers to call Child Protective Services.

A little more than a half hour into the talk, Anderson packed up her stuff and headed to the car. Tindell said, “Ms. Anderson was loading up her car and was apparently attempting to leave the hotel. They were trying to keep her there until Child Protective Services could arrive.”

At 4:19, “Ms. Anderson, while seated in her car, shot and killed Officer Robin,” said Tindell.

The head of the Department of Public Safety said Sgt. Robin was at the door of Anderson’s vehicle when he was shot and killed. Officer Estorffe and Anderson then exchanged two shots each. Estorffe was hit in the arm and head, while Anderson took a fatal shot in the chest. Estorffe was treated for his injuries, but later died at Memorial Hospital in Gulfport. Anderson died at the scene. Officials say she had a Glock semi-automatic pistol.

Investigators say a total of five shots were fired, three by Anderson, two by Estorffe. Throughout the gun battle, the eight-year-old daughter was in the front passenger seat.

“I don’t know what she saw,” said Tindell, “but she was there.”

An elderly couple staying at the motel raced to the vehicle after the shooting to help get the child away from the scene. Officials say she’s now staying with family and wasn’t physical injured during the incident.

Based on what Tindell reviewed, he hailed the officers for reaching out to CPS.

“It’s my belief their fears were justified. There is little doubt in my mind the actions that they took very well could have saved the lives of others.”

Estorffe was the only officer with a body camera. Investigators are waiting for the autopsy and toxicology report to determine if drugs played a factor in this incident.

Anderson had three children. The older two were with their father. The eight-year-old was still with her mother because she has a different father.

A joint funeral will be held for Sgt. Steven Robin and Officer Branden Estorffe Wednesday, December 21 at the Bay St. Louis Community Center. Visitation will begin at 9:30 that morning; the funeral service begins at noon.

WLOX ABC will broadcast the funeral on television and livestream it on WLOX.com, and all our digital platforms.

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