LIZTON — Monday was Emily Giles’ 26th birthday. But by the end of the day, officers with the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Department were investigating her murder and the subsequent suicide attempt by her husband, Michael Giles, 37.
In the course of that investigation, police this morning announced that they had obtained a search warrant for the couple’s home, where the murder took place, and found a metal box containing 17 pipe bombs loaded with nails and BB’s.
A caller, reportedly an employee of Michael’s, told a 911 dispatcher of the shooting in the 8200 block of County Road 400 West, which is west of Lizton. When emergency crews arrived, they found two people with gunshot wounds.
Authorities have not released the name of the witness.
The witness told police that he and the Gileses were drinking alcohol when the couple began to argue.
“There was a gentleman who rents the place out back,” Lt. Jim Yetter of the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Department said. “He’s an employee of the suspect, and he told us that the three of them were out where he rents, behind the residence, having some drinks. The male suspect was intoxicated and an argument ensued. At some point, they both left the back building and the witness heard one shot, went to see what was going on, and saw the victim lying on the sidewalk.”
Yetter said the witness told authorities that when he went to investigate, he saw Emily Giles lying on the sidewalk near the house and then saw Michael walking around the area. At that point, he said, he fled and then heard at least two more shots.
Emily was pronounced dead at the scene. Michael, who sustained what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the lower face, was taken to St. Vincent Medical Center in Indianapolis and was reported to be in serious condition.
Yetter said that the last he had heard, Michael is expected to survive.
“There was a child in the residence, but not around the incident and never in harm’s way,” Yetter added.
Authorities say that no domestic violence issues had been reported to them prior to this incident.
Maria Larrison, CEO of Sheltering Wings, a domestic violence center in Hendricks County, said she hopes that people understand that people don’t just snap and kill.
“Domestic violence is cold and calculating,” she said. “We need more community education about domestic violence so they can step in when they see something out of the ordinary or wrong. We need help getting people out of these situations. It’s just a tragedy. And I hope people will support the child that’s left behind.”
Yetter said the pipe bombs were destroyed at the scene by the IMPD bomb squad early Tuesday morning.
He added that the investigation is ongoing.
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