By James B. Bartle
A Sullivan woman has been charged in Franklin County Court with first degree domestic assault following an incident on East-West Rd. on Wed., Sept. 23  around 5:30 p.m.
Susan L. Baker, 47, was taken into custody on Wednesday evening and charged this week in the case. Her bond is set at $75,000.
Franklin County deputies, Sullivan Fire Department and Missouri Baptist Ambulance were called to a residence in the 100 block of East-West Rd. for a reported homicide.
Concerned family members of Baker contacted the sheriff’s department and reported that a homicide had occurred at East-West Rd.
Deputies arrived at the home and entered the residence locating a male subject lying on the floor and a female, later identified as Baker, the man’s wife, also in the residence.
“The male subject got up from the floor and was verbally abusive to the deputies stating that he did not want them in his residence,” said Toelke in a press release on the matter. “Deputies asked his wife why her family had called. She responded that it was because she murdered her husband. She stated that her husband told her that he wanted to die so he would not be in pain. She stated that she then smothered him and thought that he was deceased. She then called her family to report the incident. She stated that she was surprised that her husband was responsive when deputies arrived. She stated that he had not moved prior to their arrival and she thought he was deceased.”