A Georgia beauty queen turned herself in to police Saturday to face a murder charge in the death of her boyfriend.

Sharron Nicole Redmond is seen in a police mug shot in Savannah, Ga. [AP]

With her mother at her side, Sharron Nicole Redmond, who holds the title of Miss Savannah, entered the Savannah-Chatham County Metropolitan Police Department at 11 a.m.. She was being held without bail in the death of 25-year-old Kevin Shorter, said her lawyer, Michael Schiavone.

Redmond, 21, was initially charged with aggravated assault, but the charge was upgraded to murder after Shorter died on Friday.

Schiavone told The Associated Press on Saturday he will file a bond request on Monday.

"She's having a very difficult time with everything that's happened, especially with his death," Schiavone said.

Police said the shooting Tuesday night followed an argument Redmond and Shorter had apparently over Shorter dating another woman at the same time he was seeing Redmond. The shooting happened outside the home of the father of the other woman Shorter was dating. Her name has not been released.

Schiavone said his client acted in self-defense when she shot Shorter. Schiavone said he was not sure if Shorter had a weapon, but he said Redmond had a permit for the gun she was carrying. The lawyer said his client had the gun because she had been stalked at the high school where she teaches.

Redmond graduated summa cum laude from Spelman College in Atlanta after completing a double major in English and pre-medicine in three years, according to the Miss Savannah Web site. She was in the process of getting her master's degree in education.

Redmond assumed the Miss Savannah title in August when Andrea Bailey — who was originally crowned Miss Savannah — won the title of Miss Georgia and went on to compete in the Miss America competition. Redmond also was pursuing a singing career.

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