Inset: Cameron E. Tomlinson (Howard County Jail). Background: The apartment complex where Tomlinson allegedly shot and killed his wife (Google Maps).
A 21-year-old man in Indiana is accused of killing his wife and seriously injuring the couple”s newborn baby after he allegedly shot the 21-year-old woman and then claimed the wound was self-inflicted.
Cameron E. Tomlinson was taken into custody last week and charged with one count of reckless homicide and two counts of criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon in the slaying of Jessica M. Tomlinson, court records show.
According to the initial investigation report from the Kokomo Police Department, officers responded to a report of a shooting at an apartment complex in the 400 block of West Lincoln Road at about 7 p.m. on Feb. 24. The caller, identified as Tomlinson, told the dispatcher his wife had suffered “a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
Upon arriving, first responders found Jessica Tomlinson on the floor of the home with a wound in the upper torso. Cameron Tomlinson and the newborn were still at the home. The baby suffered a gunshot wound to the hand “resulting in significant trauma,” police wrote.
Medics reached the scene and attempted lifesaving measures. Jessica Tomlinson succumbed to her injury and was pronounced dead at the scene. The infant was transported to Community Howard Regional Health Hospital before being transported to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis for more specialized treatment.
“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.
