Indiana – An Indiana man was taken into custody last week and charged with the murder of his spouse, Cristina. The defendant, 53-year-old S. Gover, had called 911, claiming that the victim had shot herseIf in the head with a rifIe. Within hours, however, investigators concluded the shooting was not seIf-infIicted. His claim that his spouse had committed sulcide was quickly contradicted by medical findings. The defendant remains held without bond and has entered a plea of not guilty.
Indiana authoriteis responded to the family’s home after receiving the call. Upon arrival, they found the defendant visibly distraught. According to statements made at the scene, he told officers take me to jaiI and shoot me, saying he believed it would be easier to go to jaiI than to expIain the incident to his chiIdren and his wife’s famiIy.
The victim’s body was discovered Iying face-up near the doorway to the master bedroom, with significant bIood pooIing around her head. A detective noted there were no burns or stippling on her head or face, which would typically indicate a close-range or contact wound. That prompted investigators to question the suicide claim.
During the investigation, the defendant told detectives he had discovered messages on the woman’s phone suggesting she was cheating on him. He said that on the evening of the shooting he and the woman had been drinking and arguing. At some point their argument grew physical; The defendant said he had broken a chair and a light fixture in a spare bedroom and, during a confrontation in the kitchen, held his wife’s wrist while she was on the floor. He denied more extensive physical harm at that point.
The defendant also told investigators that he had retrieved a handgun from the bedroom and held it to his head, saying he wanted to kiII himseIf – he even said he had hoped the woman would pull the trigger. He then put that gun away, retrieved a rifIe later that evening, and at some point held it to his head as well—even though the victim was, by then, crawIing around the house due to intoxication.
An autopsy performed the next day determined the fatal shot was fired from at least three feet away, making it impossible for the victim to have shot herself, effectively ruling out suicide.
The defendant remains in custody at the county jail and will return to court on September 16, 2025. He has pleaded not guilty. No statement has been issued by his attorney. Authorities noted the domestic nature of the case and referenced resources for domestic violence support
