A 65-year-old woman who begged a judge to evict her tenant just days before she was killed, was able to record her own murder.

Mimie Anita Cowen was found bruised, bloody and floating facedown in her backyard swimming pool in Palm Springs, California, on June 14, 2016.

When police checked inside the home, they found her tenant Scott Edmund Pettigrew, 50, lying naked on his bed, covered in scratches. Pettigrew now faces murder charges, as well as charges of elder abuse and a violation of a protective order.

Officers also found a digital audio recorder lying on the floor under the kitchen table which had a minute-long recording, apparently taken on the night of the murder.

Scott Edmund Pettigrew (left) faces murder charges, as well as charges of elder abuse and a violation of a protective order over the murder of Mimie Anita Cowen (right, in an old, undated photo)

'It was a recording of what I believe took place that night,' said Detective Heather Olsen at a preliminary hearing for Pettigrew, Friday, according to WTSP.

Prosecutors also played the recording in court in which a woman, believed to be Cowen, is heard shouting over the sounds of a scuffle.

Another voice, which is unintelligible, is said to belong to Pettigrew.

'Stay away from me!' she screamed. 'You b*****d! You b*****d! You b*****!'

'Get out of here! Get out of here! Get off me!'

The recording then suddenly ends.

Just days before her murder, Cowen had filed a request for a restraining order and eviction on June 9, saying she was worried that Pettigrew's behaviour was becoming increasingly erratic.

'Scared to do anything except stay away,' Cowen wrote in court documents. 'Scott is intensifying this to keep me in constant fear of him and what he will do next time. I don't want a next time.'

She wrote that Pettigrew had refused to pay rent, stole her food, cut batteries out of her phones, poured water over her computers, and let his dogs defecate inside the house. She had agreed to let a room to Pettigrew, who was a co-worker, in February after he was evicted because of an 'altercation with a neighbor.'

Mimie Anita Cowen's bruised and bloodied body was found floating facedown in her backyard swimming pool in Palm Springs, California on June 14, 2016 (pictured is her home)

By June, the house was 'destroyed', he had only ever paid one month's rent, and if she tried to discuss it with him, he would threaten her, according to court documents.

'I am being terrorized daily in my own home,' Cowen said. 'Escalating each day. I need help. I need a restraining order.'

But Superior Court Judge James Cox refused to evict the 65-year-old's nightmare tenant and gave him a five-yard restraining order. He told them both to attend a court hearing in two weeks for them to organize a permanent solution.

Five days later, and Cowen was dead.

Pettigrew denies all charges against him.

Police had been called to Cowen's house on the night of her murder by concerned relatives who had heard them arguing during a phone call.

It was almost midnight when Cathedral City cops arrived and found her unconscious, floating face down in her pool. There were deep bruises all over her face and body, and handfuls of blond hair had been ripped from her head.

Officers pulled her out the pool and began CPR but she would later be pronounced dad.

Inside the house was obvious signs of a struggle; broke glass, destroyed statues and damaged furniture.

Pettigrew was arrested at the scene.