An Indiana man called cops to report that his wife had shot herself, but his story crumbled almost immediately due to his own statements, evidence at the scene, and his belief that she was having an affair, authorities say.
Stephen Gower, 53, is accused of murder in the death of his wife, Christina Gower, at their home in Charlestown, in the southern part of Indiana.
According to the probable cause arrest affidavit, the defendant called 911 on August 4 to report that his wife had shot herself. When officers from the Charlestown Police Department and Clark County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene, Gower made some unusual statements for someone claiming his wife committed suicide.
“Take me to jail” and “shoot me,” he allegedly said.
Cops discovered the victim in the doorway to the master bedroom, dead in a pool of blood with an apparent gunshot wound to the head. However, there were no visible burns or stippling, indicating a close or contact shot to the head, according to detectives.
Stephen Gower’s interview with the police revealed a possible motive. He stated that the day before the shooting, he discovered text messages in which “she was talking to other men and indicated she was having an affair.” According to the affidavit, this resulted in a night of drinking before the fatal shooting.
A verbal argument turned physical, with a chair and a light fixture being broken. Stephen Gower claimed to have held her down by the wrist at one point, but denied hurting her further. He also stated that he was holding two firearms to his head and “hoped his wife would pull the trigger,” according to police.
Detectives also noted that the defendant made “inconsistent statements” about where he was at the time of the shooting. According to the affidavit, he initially claimed to be in the kitchen and then said he was in the master bedroom or bathroom. When police later asked why he told the first officers on the scene to arrest him, he said “that he believed it would be easier to go to jail than to explain the incident to his children or his wife’s family.”
The coroner determined through autopsy that the fatal shot came from at least three feet away, making it impossible for her to have fired the weapon, according to police.
Police arrested Gower on a murder charge and transported him to the Clark County Jail.
