Jury finds Boone County man guilty of killing wife with flower pot. She had just finished chemo
A Boone County jury has ruled a Lebanon man guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the death of his wife, whose body was found dumped in a creek in 2022.
After a four-day trial, the verdict was delivered Thursday to Andrew Wilhoite, who was originally charged with murder. The judge told the jurors during the trial that they could convict Wilhoite on the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter if they believed the death was the result of "sudden heat," according to the Lebanon Reporter.
Andrew Wilhoite is scheduled to be sentenced June 4.
The case began after a friend of Elizabeth Wilhoite called authorities over concerns about her absence from work, according to court records. Elizabeth, referred to as Nikki by friends and family, recently completed chemotherapy treatments.
Deputies conducted a welfare check on the couple’s home. As they searched, investigators said Andrew Wilhoite arrived and told them he last saw his wife sleeping on their couch.
Boone County Sheriff’s investigators collected evidence and turned the case over to Indiana State Police due to a potential conflict of interest. Andrew Wilhoite is the son of former Boone County Council Member Marcia Wilhoite, who died in an accidental drowning in 2023.
As police pressed him further, Andrew Wilhoite asked for an attorney. He called shortly later and said he’d take police to the location of his wife’s body.
During interviews, Andrew Wilhoite told police the couple had been fighting about her recently discovering he had been having an affair. He threw her out the front door of the porch, he told police. When she approached him again, he picked up a gallon-sized cement flowerpot and struck her in the face.
He told police he drove her body to a bridge over Ross Ditch, just south of East County Road 350 North and threw her over the side.
Roughly two months after he was taken into custody, Andrew Wilhoite became one of three Republican candidates to advance in a race for a seat on the Clinton Township Board. Election results showed Andrew Wilhoite earned 60 votes, just over 21%, to his competitors’ 110 and 106 votes.
He later withdrew from the race.
'Beautiful soul': Nikki Wilhoite finished chemo treatment last week. Her husband now accused of her murder
Contact reporter Sarah Nelson at sarah.nelson@indystar.com
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Jury finds Indiana man guilty of killing wife with flower pot
