Kentucky Woman Charged with Murder After Shooting Estranged Husband at Home

Em McCormick, 33, is charged with murder after fatally shooting Andrew Hillard, her estranged husband, at their former shared home in Salvisa, Kentucky.

Kentucky Woman Kills Estranged Husband Who Allegedly Entered Home With Duplicate Key

A 33-year-old Kentucky woman has been charged with murder after fatally shooting her estranged husband during a divorce dispute, Law & Crime reports.

Em McCormick was at her residence on McAfee Lane in Salvisa, Kentucky, on the evening of Aug. 23 when she texted a friend to say that 35-year-old Andrew Hillard had "made a key" and entered the house without warning. Hillard had not been living at the property, which remained in his name, as the couple were in the middle of divorce proceedings.

When police arrived, Hillard was found dead near the front door. According to local CBS affiliate WKYT, he had been shot in the back.

McCormick subsequently texted the same friend to say she had fired the shot. During police questioning, she stated that Hillard had shown up uninvited and that the two had argued, though she did not say what the dispute was about. She told investigators that Hillard pushed her onto the bed during the altercation, at which point she retrieved a handgun she kept under her pillow. She allegedly fired at Hillard as he walked away from her down the hallway toward the front door.

A criminal complaint obtained by local Fox affiliate WDKY noted there were no signs of a physical struggle or forced entry at the scene. The couple had no documented history of domestic violence. Investigators wrote in the complaint that McCormick's account did not align with statements obtained from friends and family members.

Jarrad Carter, a friend of Hillard's, told WKYT that it was Hillard who had ended the relationship. "He didn't want to be around her no more," Carter said. WDKY reported that Hillard had initiated divorce proceedings in July 2025, nine years after the couple wed in Florida.

McCormick's attorney withdrew from the case on Aug. 19, four days before Hillard's death, according to WDKY.

McCormick was arrested on Monday and transferred to the Woodford County Detention Center on Tuesday. No next court date has been made available.

Source: Law & Crime