73-year-old wife, who sought help to facilitate her 77-year-old husband’s death and then claimed he had “gone cuckoo” when he accused her of life-support sabotage, was charged
Oklahoma – In an unsettling incident in Oklahoma, a 73-year-old woman, identified as N. Austin, has been charged after authorities say she tried to orchestrate the death of her 77-year-old husband, identified as H. Showman, by repeatedly sabotaging his life-saving oxygen supply. Austin now faces serious charges, including solicitation for murder and abuse or exploitation by a caretaker, after chilling evidence surfaced of her asking a family realtor to help “facilitate” her husband’s death and sending messages stating, “I hate him” and “He needs to die soon.”
The charges stem from an incident in their home where emergency responders were called after Austin’s husband, Showman, reportedly phoned for help. He told dispatchers his wife had disconnected his oxygen and refused to plug it back in—leaving him gasping and pleading for air. He also claimed she told him to “just die.” Authorities said this was not an isolated incident. Records show that a firefighter had been called to the couple’s home weeks earlier, on October 11, for a nearly identical situation involving Showman’s oxygen being unplugged. Investigators later reviewed text messages from Austin, provided by a family realtor, that clearly expressed her contempt for her husband and alleged desire for him to die. According to the affidavit, during a 15-minute phone call over the summer, Austin asked the realtor and her husband if they would help end Showman’s life.
Despite Austin’s denial and claims that her husband had “gone cuckoo,” Sheriff S. Walton emphasized the evidence was clear. “I think in more ways than one, we were able to show easily, beyond any reasonable doubt, that this lady wanted her husband dead,” he said. The sheriff’s office responded to the latest emergency call and found Showman conscious and coherent—refuting his wife’s suggestion that he was mentally unwell. Investigators then obtained witness statements, previous emergency records, and the incriminating text messages. That body of evidence led to Austin’s arrest late Saturday.
She was booked into the county detention center the following morning. Her charges include solicitation for murder and abuse or exploitation by a caretaker, both considered serious offenses in Oklahoma. Sheriff Walton said placing someone of her age in jail brought no joy, but he emphasized that the action was necessary to protect the victim’s health. “In the interest of his health and the crimes that she’s committed, it was the thing to do,” he stated.
Austin is currently being held on a $250,000 bond. According to jail records, her court date is scheduled for November 12. She has not entered a plea at this time, and additional legal proceedings are expected to follow. Her husband, meanwhile, is now receiving medical care under protection, and the sheriff’s office urges residents to report any suspected elder abuse. This deeply unsettling case has highlighted the dangers that can exist even in seemingly stable homes. The combination of physical vulnerability and betrayal of trust has sparked widespread concern in the community. Authorities continue to investigate, but for now, the alleged plot has been stopped—and the victim is alive.
