A New Jersey woman has been charged with murder, accused of fatally shooting her husband, a figure in local Republican politics, on Christmas Day.
Township of Hamilton Police responded to a residence in the 5200 block of Mays Landing Somers Point Road Dec. 25 on a report of an injured man, according to a release by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.
When officers arrived they found David B. Wigglesworth suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The man’s wife, Marylue Wigglesworth, 51, had called 911 saying she had been in a fight and told responding officers she shot her husband, local newspaper The Press of Atlantic City reported citing the arrest affidavit.
She was arrested in connection with his death and booked into the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
An autopsy determined Wigglesworth died of a single gunshot wound and the manner of his death was a homicide, prosecutors said.
Wigglesworth was active in supporting the Republican party in New Jersey.
He previously served as president of the Planning Board in Hamilton Township and unsuccessfully ran as a Republican for the Township Committee in 2012, The Press of Atlantic City reported.
The Township of Hamilton Republicans shared a tribute to him on Facebook saying: “He was a dedicated member of the party and worked tirelessly to support many Republican campaigns over the years, including his own. We send our prayers to his son and his extended family.”
According to online records, Wigglesworth has not entered a plea yet.
Her attorneys, Jonathan E. Diego and Melissa Rosenblum, said in a statement shared with NBC News: “A tragedy occurred on Christmas evening. “Ms. Wigglesworth is innocent of the charge against her ….. The facts of that heart-rending evening will unfold in a court of law, not the court of public opinion.”
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com.