The intruder broke into the woman’s home in April and stabbed her husband before he was shot.

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SULTAN — A prosecutor says an 81-year-old woman had no choice but to use deadly force when she fatally shot a home intruder in April.

The Herald reports Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Craig Matheson wrote in his decision that Barbara Moles fired as 25-year-old Steven Sheppard advanced toward her.

Sheppard had broken into the home and stabbed and struck Moles’ husband.

Moles called police and a dispatcher helped her stem the flow of blood from her husband’s wound.

An autopsy found methamphetamine in Sheppard’s system.