An Aberdeen man has been charged with voluntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting death of his mother in their home last week.

Barbara Doughten, 72, was shot about 9:30 p.m. Aug. 17. Her son, Douglas Mattiford Doughten, told police that he thought he heard someone breaking into the house and that he fired his 9-mm pistol. He was in his bedroom when he fired the shot.

The bullet traveled through several walls of the house before striking Barbara Doughten, who was in a bathroom at the other end of the house

At the time, police indicated that the incident appeared accidental, but that the shooting was still under investigation.

Police arrested Douglas Doughten, 42, on Monday. In addition to voluntary manslaughter, police charged him with possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and discharging a firearm inside the city limits.

He and his mother shared a residence at 124 Apologue Lane in Aberdeen.

According to a police report filed at the time, Aberdeen police responded to a 911 call of shots fired at 9:29 p.m. When they arrived at the residence, they discovered Barbara Doughten with a bullet wound under one of her arms. She died later that evening at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital.

Doughten was released on a $50,000 unsecured bond.

Contact Hunter Chase at 693-2478 or by e-mail at hchase@thepilot.com.