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Inset: Cameron E. Tomlinson (Howard County Jail). Background: The apartment complex where Tomlinson allegedly shot and killed his wife (Google Maps).
An Indiana man, aged 21, faces allegations of murdering his wife and gravely injuring their newborn after reportedly shooting his 21-year-old spouse and later claiming her wound was self-inflicted.
Cameron E. Tomlinson was apprehended last week, with charges including reckless homicide and two counts of criminal recklessness involving a deadly weapon in connection with the death of Jessica M. Tomlinson, as per court documents.
Initial findings from the Kokomo Police Department’s investigation reveal that officers responded to a shooting incident at an apartment complex located in the 400 block of West Lincoln Road around 7 p.m. on February 24. The call, made by Tomlinson, indicated his wife had sustained “a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
When authorities arrived, they discovered Jessica Tomlinson on the floor with a gunshot wound to her upper torso. Cameron Tomlinson and the couple’s infant were present at the scene. The newborn had been shot in the hand, causing severe trauma, according to police reports.
Emergency medical personnel arrived and attempted to save Jessica Tomlinson, but she succumbed to her injuries and was declared dead on the scene. The infant was initially taken to Community Howard Regional Health Hospital before being transferred to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis for advanced care.
“Responding officers were initially informed that Jessica was handling a firearm and accidentally shot herself,” the release said. “Officers discovered Tomlinson’s 1-month-old infant was being held by Jessica when the shooting occurred and suffered what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the infant’s hand.”
After collecting evidence from the home and conducting interviews with Cameron Tomlinson as well as his neighbors and family, authorities placed him under arrest in connection with Jessica Tomlinson’s death.
Court documents obtained by Indianapolis Fox affiliate WXIN provided additional details regarding the circumstances of Tomlinson’s arrest.
The documents state that Cameron Tomlinson told detectives he and his wife were getting ready for a night out when she insisted he take a revolver with him because she thought it “went well with his outfit.” He claimed she went to the safe and grabbed the gun while holding the baby.
Cameron Tomlinson claimed that when she returned with the gun, the hammer of the gun was cocked and she was holding the firearm by the barrel when she tried to open the cylinder with one hand and shot herself.
However, when pressed about what happened, Cameron Tomlinson reportedly changed his story and said he “didn’t like” how she was holding the gun by the barrel so he reached out, grabbed the revolver, and tried to pull it from her. The gun reportedly went off, striking Jessica Tomlinson.
Cameron Tomlinson said he was not sure if he pulled the trigger, but said he must have, adding, “to sum it up, that means I shot her.”
He is currently being held in the Howard County Jail on $15,000 cash-only bond. A judge also ordered that Cameron Tomlinson have no contact with his baby. He is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial conference on the morning of May 20, records show.