“I shot them all;” 77-year-old man who had a fight with his wife over homeownership amid divorce talks before fatally shooting her, his stepson and his mother-in-law, was charged
Indiana – In a devastating case of domestic violence in Indiana tied to a dispute over property and divorce, a 77-year-old man, identified as P. Waite, has been charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder after he confessed to fatally shooting his 61-year-old wife, identified as P. Alma; his 39-year-old stepson, identified as F. Ramirez; and 81-year-old mother-in-law, identified as G. Tapia, at their shared home.
According to law enforcement officials, Waite calmly called 911 on Thursday evening and told dispatchers, “I shot them all. I’m certainly not proud of that fact.” When officers arrived, he was waiting outside near the garage, just as he had told the 911 operator. The victims were identified as Alma, 61, Waite’s wife of two years; Ramirez, his stepson; and Tapia, his bedridden mother-in-law. Authorities also confirmed that a fourth person, another family member, was shot and remained in critical condition at a hospital as of Monday.
The violence unfolded around 8:30 p.m. on Thursday and stemmed from a bitter argument over property ownership and a possible separation. Waite reportedly told detectives that he and Alma had been arguing throughout the day, first over his decision to attend a bible study instead of caring for Tapia and later about his .45-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol, which he claimed he had used earlier that day to shoot a snake on the property. As the argument intensified, Alma reportedly told Waite he needed to leave the home, to which he responded that he wouldn’t leave because he had lived there for 27 years.
Court documents reveal that Waite originally purchased the home in 1998 with his first wife, Nancy, who died in 2019. Following her death, Waite became the home’s sole owner. However, after his 2024 marriage to Alma, the home’s ownership changed. Records show Alma became the sole owner, and in March 2024, she added her daughter’s name to the deed through a quitclaim transfer, effectively taking Waite off the title. The tension over that transfer appears to have triggered the deadly altercation. In his statement to detectives, Waite claimed his wife turned to face him while they were arguing in the kitchen, and in that moment, he shot her. He then claimed he heard the others in the den and shot them as well.
Authorities found the bodies inside the home, and Waite was arrested without incident. During questioning, Waite said he didn’t recall how many times he fired. He admitted to carrying a gun at the time, explaining it was the same firearm he had used earlier to shoot at a snake outside. Sheriff B. Vanoven confirmed the charges of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. At his first court appearance on Monday, Waite pleaded not guilty and was denied bond. He is currently being held at the county jail. Investigators also confirmed that Waite had no prior arrests or criminal convictions before this incident.
As the community grapples with the horrific loss, the case raises difficult questions about domestic conflict, access to firearms, and the complexities of late-life relationships and property rights. Authorities have not yet determined how Alma came to legally gain sole ownership of the home. What began as a heated argument over ownership and marital separation turned into a triple homicide, leaving only grief and devastation in its wake. More court proceedings are expected in the coming weeks as the legal system addresses what law enforcement have called one of the most tragic domestic cases the community has seen in years.
