An Indiana man faces murder charges following the alleged fatal shooting of his wife, just days after she had filed for a restraining order and asked him to leave their home.
The tragic incident unfolded on December 28, while the couple’s four children, aged 10, 14, 16, and 19, were present in the house. They promptly called 911 after the shooting, as reported by WRTV.
Cecil Mains, 46, fled the scene after allegedly shooting 44-year-old Jeri Mains, leaving her critically injured in the driveway. He was apprehended shortly thereafter during a routine traffic stop. Mains opted to remain silent with detectives and immediately requested legal representation.
Authorities discovered a .380 caliber handgun in Mains’ vehicle, which matched the ammunition found at the crime scene, according to court documents.
The Indianapolis Star detailed a history of domestic violence between the couple before the tragic event. On December 25, Jeri Mains filed for an order of protection at approximately 10:30 a.m., but due to court closures from December 24 to 28, the petition went unreviewed.
In her petition, she recounted an incident where Cecil Mains allegedly threw kitchen tongs at her, resulting in a cut and bruising on her arm. The day prior, he reportedly confronted her in a parking lot, threatening both her life and his own, as she pursued a divorce. Jeri Mains claimed to have recorded these threats. Furthermore, she described another instance where he threatened suicide in front of her and their children.
Earlier last month, he punched her computer and knocked hot chocolate on her, and in November, he punched her in the face. Months earlier, she wrote, he punched the driver’s side window of her truck so hard he broke the glass. She also wrote that he had threatened to kill her, the kids, and their pets multiple times in recent years.
But the holidays meant it was too late to stop the murder. Police arrived and found Jeri Mains in the driveway. Medics rushed her to Eskenazi Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, WRTV said.
“The facts of this case are devastating,” said Prosecutor Ryan Mears. “As we move forward with the criminal proceedings, our thoughts remain with Jeri’s four children, who have endured an unthinkable tragedy and are now facing an incredibly difficult journey ahead.”
