‘I just went nuts’: 79-year-old murder suspect allegedly admitted to shooting wife

ALLEN COUNTY, Ind. (WPTA/Gray News) - A 79-year-old Indiana man accused of killing his wife allegedly told police he lost his mind and had no reason to shoot her.

James R. Chelf, 79, is charged with one count of murder in the death of his wife. He is currently being held at the Allen County Jail without bond.

Officers with the Allen County Sheriff’s Department and the Indiana State Police were dispatched to the Woodlake Estates Mobile Home Park in Yoder about 10:15 p.m. Friday after one of Chelf’s neighbors called 911, according to court records. The neighbor said Chelf came to her home and said he had just shot his wife.

When police arrived, they put Chelf in handcuffs and asked if anyone else was in the home.

“Just my dog and my dead wife,” Chelf responded, according to court documents.

Once inside the home, police located the victim, 77-year-old Sandra Sue Chelf. She was bleeding from gunshot wounds on her head and torso and was pronounced dead soon after.

Chelf’s neighbor told police he was sitting outside when the suspect came to him and asked him to call 911, court records say. When asked what was going on, Chelf replied that he had just shot his wife and began walking away. The neighbor then told his wife to call for help.

Police also spoke to Chelf, who allegedly said he began arguing with his wife while she was working on a project but that he could not remember what the argument was about. He did, however, admit to shooting his wife during the argument, court documents show.

Police say he made the following statements during the interview:

• “I just lost my mind”
• “I have no reason why”
• “I just went nuts”
• “I’m sorry I did it”

Chelf told police he left the revolver he shot his wife with on the dining room table. When police searched the home, they found a black .38 special Smith & Wesson revolver with three spent casings, two live rounds and one empty chamber.