'Captain America' Actress Mollie Fitzgerald Claims Self-Defense After Murdering Her Mom

Actress Mollie Fitzgerald, known for her appearance in Captain America: The First Avenger, is now claiming that she killed her mother in self-defense. Fitzgerald was arrested on Dec. 31 for stabbing her mom in a suburban Kansas home, according to a report by CBS News. Now, she is insisting that she did so to protect herself.

Fitzgerald told police that her mother was coming after her with a knife when she stabbed her in response, according to a report by TMZ. The outlet obtained a criminal affidavit this week, giving new insight into her mindset.

Fitzgerald claimed that her 68-year-old mother, Patricia attacked her with a knife, and that she tried to disarm her at first. A struggle ensued, which ended with Fitzgerald stabbing Patricia four times in the back. When police arrived, they found Patricia dead with the knife still in her back, and a pool of blood on the floor.

Fitzgerald's story may not be supported by the forensic evidence. Medics reportedly noted small cuts on the palms of her hand and a bite mark on the inside of her bicep, which were treated at the scene. She was given a tetanus shot and bandages.

However, a full autopsy reportedly showed that Patricia was the one who seemed to be defending herself in the altercation. She had wounds on both of her hands, including one that nearly severed her thumb. Experts described these as "defensive injuries." Patricia also had bruising on her face, lip and neck.

With all of this in mind, the medical examiner said that they "did not find any injuries consistent with Patricia having delivered any strikes or having been in control of the involved knife." The police have reportedly booked Fitzgerald for murder. There is no word on when she may go to trial.

Fitzgerald is a jack-of-all trades in Hollywood, with credits as an actress, writer, director and producer, as well as a few miscellaneous crew jobs. She is perhaps best known for a small role in Captain America, where she played "Stark Girl" early in the MCU timeline.

"Being a part of this production has been one of the best experiences of my life," she said in 2011, according to CBS News.

Other on-screen credits include the 2018 action film Trouble Is My Business and a handful of short films. Fitzgerald has also directed several shorts, and is currently listed as the director on three active projects. According to IMDb, she is currently due to be filming Fireball, a feature documentary.