An Indianapolis man has been charged with attempted murder and feticide after he allegedly shot his pregnant wife and killed her unborn child.
According to court records obtained by Fox 59, the suspect, identified as 36-year-old Jeremy McBride, gave a detailed confession and explained what led to the shooting.
McBride Planned to Kill Wife, Child Before Taking His Own Life
At 20 weeks pregnant, McBride’s estranged wife, Kayla Netherland, was preparing to be a first-time mother when she was shot five times inside her own south side home Sunday night. McBride, allegedly called 911 and confessed to shooting his wife in the back.
Court records claim after being arrested within 30 minutes of the shooting, the suspect told police he spent several days planning to kill Kayla and her fetus before he intended to take his own life.
McBride even recalled how he bought a handgun just a few days earlier and practiced firing the weapon. “Certainly what is alleged is this person went to great lengths to carry out what he intended to do,” said Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears.
McBride was Upset That He and Kayla Weren’t Divorced and That She was Pregnant with a Child That Wasn’t His
Prosecutors also claim McBride wrote several notes where he “wrote of his frustrations with his estranged wife’s infidelity and his frustrations with their failed relationship.”
McBride admitted he was upset because, “He and his wife hadn’t gotten divorced, yet she had gotten pregnant” with a child that wasn’t his. “Maybe she will come back one day, but not for me. But in many ways, I killed her,” he added.
In Indiana, courts can only convict someone of feticide if they knew their actions would kill the unborn child and the prosecutor insists McBride repeatedly admitted to that fact.
“The person is this case made admissions about what his exact intentions were going to be and he was aware about her pregnancy and that was motivating factor to take the steps he decided to take,” said Mears. “You don’t usually have an individual who is that honest with law enforcement about how did all of this occur.”
The case against McBride is only the second time since 2014 that Marion County prosecutors have filed a feticide charge. Coincidently, the other case was filed just two weeks ago following a murder inside a south side apartment on Ella Dobbs Lane where prosecutors claim 22-year-old Regulus Baka killed his girlfriend and their 20-week-old unborn child.
McBride is due in court for his initial hearing on Friday.
