BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY, Ind. — A man is under arrest for murder after deputies found a woman dead in a Bartholomew County home.
On April 16, deputies were called to the 500 block of East 650 South to check the welfare of a woman.
During the investigation, a property owner reported an abandoned vehicle in a field in the 2000 block of East 800 South. Deputies discovered the vehicle was connected to the woman's home.
While deputies were investigating the abandoned vehicle, they got a report of a man hiding in the woods back near the woman's home. Deputies set a perimeter and called in a K-9 and found Anthony W. Carter, 49, of Indianapolis.
Deputies then got a search warrant for the woman's home and found her dead inside.
The Bartholomew County coroner identified the victim as 40-year-old Ashley E. Neville, of Columbus, and ruled her death a homicide.
Neville and Carter were reportedly in a relationship.
During a later police interview, Carter told police he grabbed a gun from Neville and "didn't know it was loaded", according to a probable cause affidavit.
When the gun struck her, Carter allegedly said he "didn't want her to suffer" and put a plastic bag over her head, used duct tape to secure it and smothered her by placing a hand over her mouth.
The affidavit showed Carter told police he tossed the gun somewhere in the woods, south of the residence, as he was hiding from police.
Carter was arrested for murder and taken to the Bartholomew County jail.
Carter was formally charged with murder Friday, April 21.