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Indianapolis, IN – A mother in Indiana who sought a protective order against her husband on Christmas Day was shot and killed three days later. The woman’s 10-year-old daughter called 911 to report the incident on Sunday afternoon, stating that her father had shot her mother and fled the scene in a gray Toyota Tundra.

Court documents reveal that Jeri Mains filed the order describing a history of domestic violence, including allegations of being assaulted with kitchen tongs by her husband, Cecil Mains. The children witnessed the violent incidents that had been reported to police, leading to the protective order request.

A judge could not process the order filed on December 25 due to court closures for the holiday. The couple had argued in prior weeks leading up to Jeri’s death, with allegations of physical fights and threats made by Cecil.

Cecil Mains allegedly shot Jeri in front of their four children before abandoning her body in the driveway. He was arrested the next day following a traffic stop after police identified his vehicle.

Local reports indicate that Jeri’s GoFundMe page expresses the family’s ordeal, highlighting the emotional impact on her surviving children aged 19, 17, 14, and 10. Cecil Mains remains in custody at the Marion County Jail facing a preliminary murder charge.

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