An Indiana man has been accused of killing his breast cancer survivor wife, who wanted a divorce after discovering he was having an affair while she was undergoing chemotherapy. According to a probable cause affidavit, Elizabeth ‘Nikki’ Wilhoite, 41, was murdered when her husband, Andrew Wilhoite, attacked her with a gallon-size cement flowerpot last week.
Nikki, who allegedly went at her husband after an argument about his suspected infidelity, was assaulted and collapsed to the ground. Andrew, 39, told authorities that he “didn’t know what to do,” so he loaded Nikki’s body into his vehicle and dumped it in a stream near their Lebanon property.
Following an autopsy, the Boone County Coroner declared Nikki’s demise a homicide on Sunday, and Andrew was accused with murder on Monday, according to court documents. He is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday for an initial hearing. The specific cause of death of Nikki is yet unknown as the corner awaits test findings.
Nikki’s death was investigated by police on Friday after her colleagues at Indiana Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery revealed that the mother-of-two and stepmother-of-one didn’t appear for work.
During the original 911 call, one colleague stated Nikki ‘was having troubles with her spouse’ and had recently ”sought legal separation. Police showed up at the Wilhoite family home and were welcomed by the 3 kids, who informed them that Nikki was not at home and that they had been unable to contact her. ‘Elizabeth could be with her sister,’ Nikki’s stepdaughter said, adding, ‘Elizabeth flees when she gets upset.’
As the cops were about to depart the farm, Andrew ‘came into the driveway in a blue tractor’ and informed them that his wife had gone missing. Andrew claimed that they had a very strong argument last night, and she was inebriated, according to the affidavit. He also purportedly pointed to scratch marks on his neck, implying they were proof of the couple’s interaction.
The suspected killer subsequently told police that his wife had spent Thursday night sleeping on the sofa and that he hadn’t seen her the next morning when he departed to ‘haul corn.’ Andrew indicated that he was resting in bed and Elizabeth was flipping out, according to the document.
Andrew informed that this is not the first time something like this has happened. Andrew Wilhoite admitted to doing things to Elizabeth that he shouldn’t have done previously. The father-of-three further claimed that Nikki had taken $3,000 from their joint bank account and that she had an attorney and was petitioning for legal separation. Andrew then told police that he suspected something drug-related… transpired’ with his wife.
Officers met with Elizabeth’s dad, Thomas Richards, who verified she withdrew money on March 18 because she was going to have to divorce Andrew. Andrew allegedly ‘did something to Elizabeth,’ according to the victim’s father.
Police observed blood on bed sheets and a cushion in the master bedroom, as well as tiny drops on and around the door and inside the master bathroom on the sink when they examined the Wihoite’s residence. Indiana State Police were brought in to help with the investigation, and Andrew apparently admitted to the affair, stating Nikki ‘had taken the news hard.’
He told investigators that the couple had agreed to get past his adultery, claiming that they intended to begin therapy in May, and that he was taken aback by Nikki’s divorce solicitation. Andrew indicated that he declined to sign the paperwork without having his own lawyer examine them, according to the affidavit.
Later in the interview, Andrew confessed to killing Nikki when she began ranting at him about the affair, ‘physically assaulting’ him, and ordering him to leave the family home. He admitted to tossing Nikki out the front entrance and hitting her in the face with the flowerpot.
According to authorities, he then dumped her corpse over the side of a bridge and into a nearby stream. When questioned if Nikki was still breathing when he put her in the water, Andrew stated, “he didn’t know since he didn’t check,” yet he didn’t remember “her moaning or moving at all.”
According to police, Andrew then continued to pick up the shards of shattered flowerpot, put them in a plastic bag, and hurl them out of his truck window on his route to Linden, Indiana, to drop off a corn cargo. According to Indiana State Police, Nikki’s corpse was discovered ‘partially immersed in roughly three feet of water’ at 3 a.m. on Saturday.
Those near to Nikki have described her as a “such a brave woman” who was suffering through a lot more than they realised. Nikki’s lifelong friend, Mary Smith, said she’d just completed chemo last week’ after ‘trying to be alive. She’s battling to remain alive so she can watch her children grow up. To have it end like this is a disaster that nobody should have to endure. She inquired what compelled him to strike out in this manner? It’s heartbreaking to contemplate if she was aware she was in danger.
Nikki will be remembered, according to Smith, for her love to her family and her upbeat demeanour. Smith explained ‘Nikki was simply for fun. You could always depend on her to tell a humorous tale or make you laugh. She could be friends with everyone, and she was just a joy to be around. She was a tremendously dedicated mother.’
Nikki was honest about her troubles online, in addition to her stated dedication to her kids. Her most recent Facebook post, on March 20, was a quotation from author Emma Grace that read: ‘You deserve a life that doesn’t hurt.’
The pair also appears to have used social media to chronicle Nikki’s health improvement, with Andrew uploading a photo of her on March 18 with the caption: ‘This woman just finished her final round of chemo today…He is really proud of her.’
Nikki’s Facebook page is already inundated with condolences from both friends and outsiders. Jamie Fredericks expressed that she was delighted. She certainly merited better compared to how he treated her. Becky Tucker Cash repeated that may her soul rest in peace and may Justice be served. Laci Harper too expressed that she didn’t deserve this at all and described her as a beautiful lovely mom.
Psychological wellness America of Boone County likewise took to Facebook to grieve Nikki’s misfortune, composing: ‘We are disheartened over the terrible idea of her passing. We realize this can raise numerous troublesome feelings now, and in the long stretches of time to come.’
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is a toll-free hotline established in the United States that provides confidential help 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Its phone number is 1-800-799-7233. The hotline is open to survivors of abuse, concerned friends or relatives, and anyone, including abusive partners who want to change.
