Nicole died from a single gunshot wound to the head at their home.

Police found her dead near a pool of blood and a loaded handgun.

When asked what happened, her husband responded that his wife “cheated on him.”

A friend said the suspect called him from a nearby convenience store and said that he and Nicole had an argument and she was acting strangely and that he thought she might attempt suicide.

He was intoxicated and wearing blood-stained clothing and claimed Nicole had taken her own life, however, an autopsy ruled the death a homicide. Investigators determined the gunshot trajectory did not match his claims, and no evidence of self-inflicted injuries was found.

Nicole was a devoted mother to her three daughters. She had a passion for music and was an avid reader, she found joy in the kitchen, where she loved spending time teaching her girls the joys of cooking.

AGE: 36
LOCATION: Scranton, Pennsylvania
CAUSE OF DEATH: Shot
DATE OF DEATH: January 3
SUSPECT: Maxwell Hawkins (37)
RELATIONSHIP TO VICTIM: Husband
STATUS: Charged with murder