79-year-old man charged with murder of 77-year-old wife in Allen County

YODER, Ind. (WISH) — A 79-year-old man was charged Wednesday with the murder of his 77-year-old wife on Friday in southwestern Allen County, authorities say. The Allen County Coroner’s Office identified the woman on Wednesday as Sandra Sue Chelf. The coroner said she died from a gunshot wound to the head in a homicide. She is Allen County’s 13th homicide of 2026. The Allen County Sheriff’s Offi c e on Saturday said it had arrested James Richard Chelf II. Online records show he had an initial hearing on Wednesday in Allen Superior Court 6 and was formally charged with murder. Deputies and Indiana State Police troopers were called just before 10:10 a.m. Friday to a report of a shooting inside a home in the 100 block of Woodlake Run. That’s in the Woodlake Estates Mobile Home Park, located off Indianapolis Road near Fort Wayne International Airport. Sandra Sue Chelf died at the shooting scene, the sheriff’s office said. Help is available for victims of domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual assault. Below is a list of suggested resources, both national and local: National Domestic Violence Hotline : 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788 National Domestic Violence Hotline en español : 800-799-7233 o texto “START” al 88788 Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence : 24-hour hotline available at 800-332-7385 Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Firefly Children & Family Alliance La Plaza Indy The Julian Center Indiana Child Abuse Hotline : 800-800-5556 National Sexual Assault Hotline : 800-656-4673