A mother-of-four was allegedly shot dead by her husband in front of their children just days after she desperately sought a protective order against him, a court has heard.
A Fatal Delay in Protection
Jeri Mains, 44, was found with fatal gunshot wounds at her Indiana home on December 28. This tragic discovery came merely three days after she filed a petition for a protective order on Christmas Day, accusing her husband, Cecil Mains, 46, of serial domestic abuse.
Her plea for immediate legal protection, however, was never processed. Court offices were closed for the Christmas holiday, leaving her request unfulfilled by judges who were not working. The system's pause proved fatal.
A History of Alleged Terror
In her petition, Jeri Mains described herself as a victim of sustained domestic violence. She detailed a horrific attack on Christmas Eve, where she alleged Cecil assaulted her with a pair of kitchen tongs, causing laceration and bruising.
The documented abuse stretched back months. The petition cited an incident on December 10, where Cecil reportedly punched a computer during an argument, sending a cup of hot chocolate flying over her.
In a separate alleged assault in November, he is said to have punched her in the face, resulting in a nosebleed and facial bruising. Earlier in the year, he allegedly punched out the driver's side window of her truck.
Perhaps most chillingly, Jeri's court documents stated that Cecil had repeatedly threatened to kill their four children, aged 19, 17, 14, and 10, as well as the family pets. The abuse was reportedly carried out in front of the youngsters.
A Child's Harrowing 911 Call
The nightmare culminated on the afternoon of Sunday, December 28. According to police reports, the couple's 10-year-old daughter made a desperate call to emergency services.
The child told dispatchers her father had shot her mother before fleeing the scene in a grey Toyota Tundra. Officers rushed to the family home and found Jeri Mains in a critical condition.
She was transported to Eskenazi Hospital but was tragically pronounced dead. Cecil Mains was apprehended shortly after, following a traffic stop initiated by Officer Daniel Beasley nearly 4.5 miles from the family home.
He now faces a preliminary charge of murder and is being held without bond at the Marion County Jail. The couple's children have been placed in the care of other family members as they grapple with the loss of their mother.
Her family, described as "completely shattered," remembers Jeri as a woman who "loved her friends and family fiercely." The case has cast a stark light on the deadly risks faced by victims of domestic abuse, especially during periods where legal and support services may be limited.
