In Indiana, James Richard Chelf II is accused of killing Sandra Sue Chelf at their Yoder mobile home after what police described as an argument.

YODER, Ind. — A 79-year-old Allen County man was charged with murder after deputies said he told a neighbor he had shot his wife, then waited outside his mobile home as police arrived late May 22.

James Richard Chelf II remained held without bond at the Allen County Jail after an initial hearing in Allen Superior Court 6. His wife, 77-year-old Sandra Sue Chelf, was found dead inside the couple’s home in the 100 block of Woodlake Run, in Woodlake Estates Mobile Home Park, southwest of Fort Wayne. The case is being handled by the Allen County Police Department, the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Allen County Coroner’s Office.

The first call for help did not come from the home where Sandra Chelf was found. Court records described by local outlets say James Chelf went to a neighbor’s house and said he had just shot his wife. The neighbor called 911. Officers with the Allen County Sheriff’s Department and Indiana State Police were sent to the mobile home park at about 10:08 p.m. on a report of a shooting inside a residence. When they arrived, police said Chelf was outside the home. Officers detained him, asked whether anyone else was inside and were told, “Just my dog and my dead wife,” according to accounts of the court documents.

Inside the residence, officers found Sandra Chelf suffering from gunshot wounds. Southwest Allen County EMS responded and pronounced her dead at the scene. The Allen County Coroner’s Office later said she was found unresponsive on a bedroom floor. The office identified her as Sandra Sue Chelf, a 77-year-old white woman, after an autopsy was completed and relatives were notified. The coroner listed her cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds and ruled the manner of death a homicide. Some early accounts described a gunshot wound to the head; later coroner information said she suffered multiple wounds. Authorities said she was Allen County’s 13th homicide of 2026.

Investigators said the case quickly moved from a shooting call to a murder investigation. The sheriff’s department first announced that an adult male had been detained at the scene and later identified him as James Richard Chelf II of Yoder. After an interview with investigators, he was taken to the Allen County Jail on a preliminary murder charge. Court records cited by local news organizations say Chelf told officers he and his wife had been arguing but said he could not remember what the argument was about. “I just went nuts,” he allegedly told police. He also allegedly said, “I have no reason why,” and apologized for what had happened.

The mobile home park sits off Indianapolis Road, near Fort Wayne International Airport, in southwestern Allen County. The shooting drew law enforcement from the county and state police, and the coroner’s office was notified the same night. The scene described in court records was limited to the couple’s home and the nearby neighbor’s residence, where the emergency call began. Officials have not released a detailed motive. They also have not said whether police had been called to the home before, whether the couple had any known history of domestic disputes or whether anyone else witnessed the shooting. The dog mentioned in the police account was not described as injured in the available reports.

Police records cited by multiple outlets said investigators recovered a .38 Special Smith & Wesson revolver from the dining room table. The weapon allegedly had three spent casings, two live rounds and one empty chamber. Authorities said the gun was believed to have been used in the shooting. The account of the weapon, the neighbor’s 911 call and Chelf’s alleged statements became central details in the probable cause narrative reported after the charge was filed. The charging decision placed the case in Allen Superior Court 6, where Chelf had his initial hearing the following Wednesday. The murder charge accuses him of knowingly or intentionally killing Sandra Chelf.

The legal process remains in its early stage. A murder charge is an accusation, and Chelf is presumed innocent unless proved guilty in court. His being held without bond means he stayed in jail after the initial court appearance while the case moved forward. Prosecutors have not publicly announced any lesser included charges, plea discussions or trial date in the reports reviewed. The next steps would normally include the filing of discovery, review of police reports and forensic evidence, and future hearings before a judge. Investigators also are expected to rely on the coroner’s findings, firearm evidence and statements attributed to Chelf as the case proceeds.

For neighbors in Woodlake Estates, the first public sign of the killing was the emergency response that followed the 911 call. The court account said the neighbor who called police had been approached by Chelf after the shooting and was frightened enough to contact authorities. Officers arrived within minutes, detained him outside and entered the home, where they found Sandra Chelf. No wider public threat was announced. The sheriff’s office said the adult male at the scene was taken into custody after the interview, and the coroner’s office later confirmed the death as a homicide. Officials did not release a longer statement from Sandra Chelf’s family.

For now, James Richard Chelf II remains in custody on the murder charge, and Sandra Sue Chelf’s death remained under investigation. The next milestone in the case is the continued court process in Allen Superior Court 6 following the May 28 charging reports.

Author note: Last updated Monday, June 22, 2026.