US suspected murderer wins Republican town primary from jail
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The town of Lebanon, Indiana, had a man win a Republican primary election for township board in the state - from jail, facing charges of murder against his wife.
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Andrew Wilhoite (AP)
A man from Lebanon, Indiana, Andrew Wilhoite, has won a Republican primary election for township board in the state; however, what is extraordinary about his win, is the fact that he is accused of murdering his wife and dumping her body in a creek in March, and his win took place while he is incarcerated.
Wilhoite received 60 of the 276 total votes on Tuesday for Republicans for three positions on the Clinton township board, election results in the Boone county election results showed.
Authorities had arrested him in late March in connection with the death of Elizabeth Wilhoite, 41, suspected to have been killed by a large flower pot blow to the head.
Since his arrest, Wilhoite has been held in the Boone county jail without bond and charged with murder, with the police reporting that he had struck his wife in the head with a blunt object, leading her to pass out.
According to the string of events drawn up by the police, Wilhoite then proceeded to put his wife in a vehicle and drove her to a creek several kilometers away before dumping her body there from a bridge.
The police found the body on March 26, partially submerged in somewhat shallow waters. She had been reported missing on March 25 after failing to report for work.
Authorities are not certain what the reason behind the murder could be, but it could go back to differences about where the relationship is heading. Court records show Elizabeth filed for divorce on March 17 after 12 years of marriage.
Wilhoite will have a jury trial on August 29, court records show, and if he is convicted of a felony before the November 8 general election, his name would be immediately taken off the ballot.
"Under our legal system, every person is innocent until proven guilty," said Brad King, co-director of the Indiana Election Division.
The Associated Press sent a message seeking further information from Wilhoite's attorney on Friday, and the lawyer is yet to respond.
The township board only has three members, and only three people stood for the election.
