CHARLESTOWN, IN – Authorities in southern Indiana have charged a local man with murder after the death of his wife, quickly discounting his claim that she took her own life based on evidence at the scene and his own statements.

Stephen Gower, 53, was taken into custody after he called 911 on August 4 to report that his wife, Christina Gower, had died from an apparent gunshot wound at their home. When officers from the Charlestown Police Department and Clark County Sheriff’s Office responded, they were greeted by Gower, who made remarks that investigators found troubling for someone reporting a suicide.

According to police records, Gower told the arriving officers, “Take me to jail,” and “shoot me.” His apparent distress and these comments immediately raised suspicions among law enforcement.

Inside the house, police found Christina Gower’s body in the doorway of the master bedroom, lying in a pool of blood with a gunshot wound to her head. Forensic investigators noted an absence of gunpowder burns or stippling—key indicators that typically point to a self-inflicted wound at close range. This discovery prompted detectives to question the theory of suicide.

During subsequent interviews with investigators, Stephen Gower reportedly detailed events that unfolded leading up to the shooting. He said that a day before his wife’s death, he discovered messages suggesting she was having an affair. The revelation led to a night of heavy drinking and arguments between the couple, culminating in damaged household items, including a chair and a light fixture.

Gower admitted to physically restraining his wife by the wrist during the argument, but denied any further violence. He also told police that at one point, he pointed two firearms at himself, allegedly wishing his wife would pull the trigger.

Investigators noted inconsistencies in Gower’s account of his whereabouts during the moment the fatal shot was fired. He initially said he was in the kitchen, but later claimed to have been in the bedroom or bathroom, according to court documents.

When asked why he had urged officers to arrest him, Gower told investigators he thought it would be easier to go to jail than to explain the circumstances of his wife’s death to their children or her family.

An autopsy conducted by the county coroner determined that the fatal gunshot was fired from at least three feet away, making self-infliction physically impossible, authorities said. This finding, combined with Gower’s conflicting statements and the absence of forensic evidence supporting suicide, led police to conclude that Christina Gower had been killed.

Stephen Gower was arrested and booked into the Clark County Jail on a murder charge. Authorities have not indicated whether he has retained legal representation. The investigation remains ongoing as officials seek to piece together the full circumstances leading up to the shooting.