An Indiana man, aged 45, has been apprehended by authorities following the alleged murder of his 40-year-old wife. The man, identified as Mohammed Mondal, is accused of shooting his wife, Stacy Mondal, seven times during a dispute, with their two young children present at the scene.
Court documents reveal that Mohammed Mondal was arrested on Monday and is facing charges of murder, two counts of neglect of a dependent, and one count of using a firearm in the commission of an offense resulting in serious bodily injury or death.
The fatal incident reportedly occurred in the family’s car while their two children, aged 2 months and 14 months, were in the backseat. The family was en route to a photo session at J.C. Penny when the argument broke out. Mohammed Mondal subsequently dialed 911 to report that he had shot his wife.
The responding officer, Sgt. McAllister, noted that Mohammed Mondal sounded panicked and upset during the call. Initially, Mondal claimed the shooting was accidental, but later stated it was in self-defense.
Law enforcement officers caught up with Mondal’s vehicle near the Ohio-Indiana border and followed it to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. Upon arrival, officers found Stacy Mondal in the car, slumped over and covered in blood, showing little to no signs of life. A small black handgun was found near her feet on the passenger side floorboard.
Mohammed Mondal spoke to detectives at the hospital, inquiring about his wife’s condition and reiterating his claim of self-defense. He alleged that Stacy Mondal was reaching for his gun during their argument. She was pronounced dead at 12:11 p.m. that day.
Mondal told authorities that he and his wife had been experiencing marital issues for several years, suspecting her of having an affair with a neighbor. He claimed that during their argument in the car, Stacy struck him with her cellphone, dropped it, and then reached for a gun in the center console. He stated that he then reached for his own gun and shot her.
During the course of the investigation, detectives were unable to substantiate Mondal’s claims of his wife’s infidelity or that she fired a shot during their argument. In a final interview, Mondal maintained that he shot his wife in self-defense as she was reaching for a gun, insisting that he was not the perpetrator.
Stacy Mondal’s family released a statement expressing their grief over the tragic loss and their dedication to supporting her five children. Mohammed Mondal is currently being held at the Dearborn County Law Enforcement Center and made his initial court appearance on Thursday.