50-year-old Judson Keith Hoover pleaded guilty to killing his wife, 38-year-old Rebecca Ruth Hoover, hours after he was charged with murder. Rebecca had last been seen on August 2nd and Judson filed for divorce a day later. Officials maintain that she was already dead at the time. The incident came to light after the couple’s eight-year-old son told a school counselor that he’d witnessed his father kill his mother.

New Albany Police Chief Told Bailey stated that the case began when Rebecca’s mom reported her missing on August 4. When officers went to her home on St. Joseph Road, they found no sign of Rebecca.

Bailey stated: “Fast-forwarding to Aug. 27, our criminal investigators were alerted that Ms. Hoover’s disappearance may very well have been criminal in nature. Based on that information, our criminal investigators took everything into high gear and spent countless hours uncovering the facts of this case.” According to reports, a forensic interview was conducted with an unnamed family member, and search warrants executed at the couple’s home. Rebecca’s body was recovered and Judson taken into custody the same day on suspicion of murder. Charges were then formally filed and he pleaded guilty on the same day.

According to the probable cause affidavit: “The child disclosed seeing his father stomp his mother in the head 20 times, wearing black boots, while she was lying on the ground next to a black refrigerator in the basement. The child also observed Judson Hoover punch Rebecca Hoover in the stomach with a set of keys in his hands, but she was unresponsive and did not move. The child observed blood coming from Rebecca Hoover’s head and left ear.”