Story By: Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash
A man in custody for murdering his wife – who was also a mother – has won a local primary in Indiana.
Andrew Wilhoite secured his candidacy in primaries in the Midwestern US state on Tuesday, 3rd May, while in custody at Boone County Jail.
He is one of a trio of Republican Party candidates hoping to win a seat on the Clinton Township Board in the state.
Wilhoite, now 40, was arrested and subsequently charged with the murder of his wife – named as Elizabeth ‘Nikki’ Wilhoite, 41 – in March. She was battling cancer at the time.
He currently awaits his upcoming court hearing, which is scheduled for 27th May.
Under Indiana state law, it is legal for those charged with a felony to run for office in the state; they only become ineligible if they are convicted.
Wilhoite got 60 votes, representing around 21 per cent of those cast, and will be on the ballot for November’s general election. His competitors garnered 110 and 106 votes respectively.
The township board is made up of three members. The Republican Party primary only drew the mentioned candidates, while no one filed on the Democratic Party primary ticket.
Tragic Nikki’s death was discovered after her colleagues reported her as missing following her failure to turn up at work.
After scouring her home and the area around it, Indiana State Police found her corpse in a creek nearby on 26th March, following an 18-hour-long search.
The police said at the time: “During the course of a domestic dispute, 39-year-old Andrew N. Wilhoite, Elizabeth’s husband, had allegedly struck her in the head with a blunt object causing her to lose consciousness.
“He then placed her into a vehicle and drove to a nearby creek where he dumped her body.”
Nikki had cancer and had just finished chemotherapy. She had filed for legal separation from her husband in March.
She was described in reports as a mother, though no details were given about her offspring.
Court documents show Wilhoite gave false testimony to detectives before going on to admit he threw his wife’s body off a bridge after using a flower pot to strike her on the head.
He reportedly told detectives he had fought with Nikki about a love affair he was in.
Wilhoite’s mother is reportedly a councilwoman for Boone County.
