Michael Anthony Maher, 44, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife, 38-year-old Nadia Amaadar Maher. He has been held at the Wake County jail since the Nov. 24 incident.
Police found signs of a physical struggle in the home of an Apex woman whose husband first told police that he shot her accidentally while checking the safety switch on a gun.
Michael Anthony Maher, 44, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife, 38-year-old Nadia Amaadar Maher. He has been held at the Wake County jail since the Nov. 24 incident.
A search warrant application made public Monday at the Wake County Clerk of Courts Office provides more details about the case.
Investigators discovered signs of a struggle in Maher home on Walden Glade Run. The couple’s children told police varying accounts of what happened prior to the shooting, but a daughter told police her parents were arguing about missing money.
An autopsy report showed that Nadia Maher had bruises all over her body and scratches on her hands. Michael Maher had visible scratches on his chest and wrist, according to the search warrant.
Police learned that Maher has pending domestic violence charges in Louisiana for allegedly hitting his wife.
Late last week, investigators obtained a search warrant to collect a DNA sample from Maher to compare with evidence found at the scene of the shooting, which left Nadia Maher with fatal gunshot wound to the abdomen.
Detectives are now trying to determine if the shooting was an act of involuntary manslaughter, according to the search warrant.
One of the couple’s children called 911 about 10:42 p.m. Nov. 24 and said her mother had been shot. When police arrived, they found Nadia Maher in the master bedroom.
Emergency workers rushed her to WakeMed, where she was pronounced dead at about 12:15 a.m.
Michael Maher initially told police that he accidentally shot his wife, then he asked for a lawyer and declined to make further statements, Officer A. Miller stated in the search warrant.
Maher remains in custody without benefit of bail, a jail spokesman said Monday.
