Indiana Woman Who Was Reportedly Denied Protective Order Killed by Estranged Husband in Murder-Suicide

Julie
File

Julie Yow-Schmidtke was reportedly pregnant at the time of her death.

Just days before Christmas, an Indiana woman who was reportedly denied a protective order against her estranged husband whom she recently filed for divorce from was killed by him in an apparent murder-suicide, according to reports.

Julie Yow-Schmidtke was killed in an apparent murder-suicide last week in Columbus, Indiana, and her family says the tragedy occurred just 10 days after she was denied a restraining order against her estranged husband, WLKY reported.

Police responded to a call for a shootout at the home just before 9 p.m. on December 19, and when officers got there, they found Julie and her husband, Charles Schmidtke, dead, Local Today reported.

Investigators believe Charles broke into his estranged wife’s home and shot her multiple times before turning the gun on himself, Local Today reported.

Julie had two children from a previous relationship and was pregnant at the time of her death, according to reports.

The couple had only been married for three months, and Julie’s family told WLKY that Charles attacked her three months into the marriage, which led to things going south.

"I really thought that that was going to get her a protection order," her sister, Lori Griffin told WLKY. "Then when she goes to court with all the evidence that she had, even police checking on her for her safety, and they denied her, and then 10 days later, she's murdered in her own home in front of her kids."

Court records obtained by WLKY show Julie filed for divorce just five days before her death. 

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