Local woman charged with murder after reportedly stabbing husband

EVANSVILLE, Ind. —  Vanderburgh County woman Wendy Payne, 51, has been charged with murder after deputies found her husband dead inside their home Saturday night. 

According to the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office, Payne called dispatch shortly after 6 p.m. saying she had stabbed her husband Edward Payne, 60.

Deputies said they arrived at 2601 Glenview Drive and found Payne distraught outside the home and covered in blood. Once inside, deputies found the man lying on the kitchen floor with a “significant chest wound,” Vanderburgh County Sheriff Dave Wedding said.

Wedding said Wendy Payne is the only suspect. She was arrested and is facing a murder charge. He confirmed the couple was married and there was no evidence of drug use at the time of the arrest.

On Sunday, the autopsy determined Payne's cause of death was sharp force trauma to the chest cavity, Wedding said during a press conference. He said it most likely penetrated the heart. 

"During the autopsy, they did show the deceased individual had some wounds on his hands," Wedding said. "That would be associated with defense wounds where he might have put his hands up to keep the knife from striking him."

Wendy Payne was transported to the Sheriff's Operation Center for questioning and asked for a lawyer. As of now, there is no identified motive for the stabbing, Wedding said.

This isn't the first time deputies have visited the home. In 2016 and 2018, deputies responded to domestic violence incidents at the same residence, Wedding said. 

Wendy Payne remains in Vanderburgh County Jail with no bond. 

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