CEDAR FALLS, IA – A woman in Cedar Falls has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting her husband during a domestic argument. The incident unfolded on Wednesday evening when Kimberly Ann Charlton, 66, purportedly shot her 72-year-old husband, David Alan Charlton, reportedly over a threat he made against their pet dog.

Police were called to the Charltons’ home on Newland Drive following a report of a possible shooting related to a domestic dispute. When officers arrived around 6:30 p.m., they found David Charlton suffering from a fatal gunshot wound.

Emergency personnel pronounced David Charlton dead at the scene. Kimberly Charlton was present at the residence and was taken into custody without incident.

According to the Cedar Falls Department of Public Safety, the situation escalated after an argument in the couple’s bedroom. Kimberly Charlton claimed her husband attempted to assault her, but the altercation was interrupted by their dog.

After David Charlton allegedly threatened to strike the dog with his cane, Kimberly retrieved a gun from the bedroom. She reportedly warned him to stop his actions and, when he did not, shot him once in the back.

Investigators were supported by Black Hawk County Dispatch, MercyOne Paramedics, and the Cedar Falls Fire Division, all of whom assisted in managing the scene and in the immediate investigation.

Legal documents reveal that Kimberly Charlton admitted to the shooting during an interview with detectives. The criminal complaint details her account of the events, in which she described the sequence leading to her husband’s fatal injury.

Kimberly Charlton is currently held at the Black Hawk County Jail with bond set at $1 million. Her case emerges as a striking reminder of the complex nature of domestic conflicts and the dire outcomes that can ensue.