Husband shot wife in back of head, tried to tell authorities she'd just 'fallen' in their home: Police

Cody A. Chilcutt (Jefferson County Sheriff's Office). Background: The area in Missouri where Chilcutt allegedly shot his wife (Google Maps).

A 32-year-old man in Missouri is accused of trying to kill his wife, allegedly shooting the victim in the back of the head before calling 911 and claiming she had simply "fallen" while exiting their bedroom.

Cody A. Chilcutt was taken into custody and charged with one count each of first-degree domestic assault and armed criminal action in connection with the shooting, court records show.

According to a probable cause affidavit, deputies with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office responded to the couple's home at about 7 a.m. on Aug. 14 regarding a reported shooting. Emergency medical personnel transported the victim, who is not identified in court documents, to a local hospital for treatment. Doctors confirmed that she suffered "injuries consistent with being shot in the back of the head/neck."

The victim survived her injuries and told deputies that she and Chilcutt, her husband, were walking out of their bedroom when she suddenly felt "an intense pain in the back of her head, followed by her collapsing to the floor."

In his first statement to investigators, Chilcutt allegedly denied knowing what happened to his wife.

"Chilcutt initially stated he was walking behind the victim when he heard a loud noise, followed by him witnessing the victim fall to the ground and hitting her head," the affidavit says.

But investigators found evidence inside the home suggesting Chilcutt's wife had been shot from inside the residence, making Chilcutt the primary suspect.

In a post-Miranda interview, he allegedly "admitted to shooting his wife while standing behind her," investigators wrote.

In a court filing seeking to have Chilcutt held without bond, prosecutors said evidence indicated his actions were premeditated. The request for bond denial stated that Chilcutt "planned the attack" and "planned for the victim to die from her injuries."

That filing also says Chilcutt shot his wife "in the back of the head," then "called 911 and reported that she had fallen." Prosecutors cited those findings in asserting that he presented both a flight risk and a danger to his wife and the general community.

Chilcutt is being held without bond in the Jefferson County Jail. He is scheduled to appear in court for a bond review hearing on Aug. 25, records show.