A Dunmore woman is dead and her husband in jail after a Thursday night shooting in the borough, investigators say.
Lackawanna County Coroner Tim Rowland said Nicole Vega, 36, died from a single gunshot wound to the head at her home at on Veterans Drive in the borough.
Her husband, Maxwell Hawkins, 37, was arrested Thursday and charged with child endangerment and public drunkenness.
Rowland said the manner of death was homicide. The cause of death remains under investigation, according to a criminal complaint against Hawkins.
The Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office, Dunmore Police Department and Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the case, Rowland said.
Police responded to the home just after 11:20 p.m., according to court documents. Police said they found Hawkins in the kitchen visibly intoxicated and “extremely erratic.”
Hawkins mumbled and it was difficult to understand what he was saying, police said. Officers asked Hawkins where Vega was and he pointed upstairs.
Police found Vega dead near a pool of blood and a loaded handgun.
A Dunmore Police officer asked Hawkins what happened and he responded that his wife “cheated on him,” according to the criminal complaint.
Officers said that they were met outside the home by a man named Michael Schwarz, who had removed three children.
Hawkins had been in contact with Schwarz, according to police. Schwarz told officers that Hawkins called him from a nearby convenience store and said that he and Vega had an argument and that the kids were at home. Schwarz told police Hawkins said Vega was acting strangely and that he thought she might attempt suicide.
Schwarz said he urged Hawkins to return home, police said. Hawkins called him back and said that Vega was "gone." Schwarz arrived at the home and took the children, between the ages of 4 and 11, out of the residence, according to police. He then called 911.
Hawkins was arraigned Friday, according to court documents. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 14 in front of Magisterial District Judge Sean Gallagher. Hawkins was unable to post bail and remained in Lackawanna County prison Friday afternoon.