UPDATE: Man shot, killed by friend during surprise visit was 'best kind of brother'

HAMILTON

-- A woman mistook her friend for an intruder and fatally shot him while they were on the phone together, authorities said Friday.

Kelvin Watford, 50, of Willingboro, was apparently attempting to surprise the woman with a visit while they were talking on the phone, and had told her he was not in the immediate area, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office said.

Watford was found by police officers at the bottom of the stairs inside the Genesee Street house with a gunshot wound to his chest at 11:23 p.m. Thursday, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The woman, 51, called 911 after the shooting and told the dispatcher that she shot an intruder inside her home, authorities said. She then realized she accidentally shot her friend, authorities said.

The investigation is still in the early stages, but preliminary indications point to an accidental homicide, authorities said.

Authorities say the woman, whose name was not released, was on the phone with Watford, who told her he was returning from a trip and was not in the immediate area.

As the two continued to talk over the phone, she heard a dog barking and noises outside of her house, authorities said. She retrieved her gun when the noises continued, authorities said.

She heard someone inside of her house and walked to her bedroom door, still on the phone. She then opened her bedroom door, saw the shadow of a person in the dark of the stairs and fired one gunshot, authorities said.

No charges have been filed at this time and the incident remains under investigation.

"Everything the woman has told investigators has been corroborated at this point," prosecutor's office spokeswoman Casey DeBlasio said. "This appears to be a tragic accident."

Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find NJ.com on Facebook.