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Pennsylvania Woman Claims During Trial Online Alien Cult Led Her To Fatally Shoot Boyfriend

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STROUDSBURG, Pa. (CBS/CNN) -- A murder trial is underway in Monroe County for a woman accused of shooting her boyfriend after being part of an online alien cult. Barbara Rogers entered the Monroe County Courthouse Monday morning for her trial in the death of Stephen Mineo.

Police say Rogers shot Mineo in the head at a home near Tobyhanna in July 2017.

According to investigators, Rogers and Mineo belonged to an online cult centered on aliens and the end of the world.

In opening statements, Rogers claimed the cult turned against her and Mineo, and because of those problems, Mineo wanted her to kill him.

She told the jury Mineo put the gun to his own head and told her to pull the trigger. Rogers claims she didn't know the gun was loaded and calls the shooting an accident.

(©Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company contributed to this report.)

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