Topline: Jeri Mae Mains sought protection after reporting repeated death threats, then was fatally shot three days after Christmas with her four children at home.
Published: October 7, 2026 11:34 am ET
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Cecil Mains, left, and Jeri Mae Mains (via IMPD / Courtesy photo)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Cecil Mains has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for murdering his wife, Jeri Mae Mains, in front of their children at their southeast Indianapolis home.
WTHR reports the sentence in an updated headline. Its earlier reporting describes a Christmas Day protection-order filing in which Jeri alleged repeated death threats from her husband.
Officers responded around 2:20 p.m. December 28, 2025, to the 8100 block of Meadow Bend Lane, near East Stop 11 and Shelbyville roads. Jeri, 44, died at a hospital.
According to court documents cited by WTHR, Jeri had made Cecil leave after discovering infidelity. A daughter said he returned while Jeri was away and retrieved a gun from a safe. When Jeri returned, an argument began. The daughter reported hearing shots while calling police and seeing her mother in the driveway.
Their 19-year-old son told investigators he tried to intervene and saw his father shoot Jeri twice. Another child described an earlier threat to kill family members.
WISH-TV reported that both older children tried to intervene. Multiple children called 911, reporting that their father fled in a gray Toyota Tundra. Police stopped him near Five Points Road and Edgewood Avenue; WTHR reported his formal arrest the next day.
Jeri’s brother told detectives she had reported earlier physical abuse. WISH-TV cited a coroner’s finding that a gunshot injured her heart, liver and spine. Investigators found her phone and credit cards in Cecil’s truck. He requested an attorney; detectives collected clothing, a holster and three phones.
In the earlier WTHR report, Prosecutor Ryan Mears described little apparent prior criminal history and emphasized the impact on the couple’s four children.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Cecil Mains Sentenced to 45 Years for Killing Wife in Front of Their Children
Jeri Mae Mains sought protection after reporting repeated death threats, then was fatally shot three days after Christmas with her four children at home.
By Silvia Torres
Published: October 7, 2026 11:34 am ET
Cecil Mains, left, and Jeri Mae Mains (via IMPD / Courtesy photo)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Cecil Mains has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for murdering his wife, Jeri Mae Mains, in front of their children at their southeast Indianapolis home.
WTHR reports the sentence in an updated headline. Its earlier reporting describes a Christmas Day protection-order filing in which Jeri alleged repeated death threats from her husband.
Officers responded around 2:20 p.m. December 28, 2025, to the 8100 block of Meadow Bend Lane, near East Stop 11 and Shelbyville roads. Jeri, 44, died at a hospital.
According to court documents cited by WTHR, Jeri had made Cecil leave after discovering infidelity. A daughter said he returned while Jeri was away and retrieved a gun from a safe. When Jeri returned, an argument began. The daughter reported hearing shots while calling police and seeing her mother in the driveway.
Their 19-year-old son told investigators he tried to intervene and saw his father shoot Jeri twice. Another child described an earlier threat to kill family members.
WISH-TV reported that both older children tried to intervene. Multiple children called 911, reporting that their father fled in a gray Toyota Tundra. Police stopped him near Five Points Road and Edgewood Avenue; WTHR reported his formal arrest the next day.
Jeri’s brother told detectives she had reported earlier physical abuse. WISH-TV cited a coroner’s finding that a gunshot injured her heart, liver and spine. Investigators found her phone and credit cards in Cecil’s truck. He requested an attorney; detectives collected clothing, a holster and three phones.
In the earlier WTHR report, Prosecutor Ryan Mears described little apparent prior criminal history and emphasized the impact on the couple’s four children.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Cecil Mains Sentenced to 45 Years for Killing Wife in Front of Their Children
Jeri Mae Mains sought protection after reporting repeated death threats, then was fatally shot three days after Christmas with her four children at home.
By Silvia Torres
Published: October 7, 2026 11:34 am ET
Cecil Mains, left, and Jeri Mae Mains (via IMPD / Courtesy photo)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Cecil Mains has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for murdering his wife, Jeri Mae Mains, in front of their children at their southeast Indianapolis home.
WTHR reports the sentence in an updated headline. Its earlier reporting describes a Christmas Day protection-order filing in which Jeri alleged repeated death threats from her husband.
Officers responded around 2:20 p.m. December 28, 2025, to the 8100 block of Meadow Bend Lane, near East Stop 11 and Shelbyville roads. Jeri, 44, died at a hospital.
According to court documents cited by WTHR, Jeri had made Cecil leave after discovering infidelity. A daughter said he returned while Jeri was away and retrieved a gun from a safe. When Jeri returned, an argument began. The daughter reported hearing shots while calling police and seeing her mother in the driveway.
Their 19-year-old son told investigators he tried to intervene and saw his father shoot Jeri twice. Another child described an earlier threat to kill family members.
WISH-TV reported that both older children tried to intervene. Multiple children called 911, reporting that their father fled in a gray Toyota Tundra. Police stopped him near Five Points Road and Edgewood Avenue; WTHR reported his formal arrest the next day.
Jeri’s brother told detectives she had reported earlier physical abuse. WISH-TV cited a coroner’s finding that a gunshot injured her heart, liver and spine. Investigators found her phone and credit cards in Cecil’s truck. He requested an attorney; detectives collected clothing, a holster and three phones.
In the earlier WTHR report, Prosecutor Ryan Mears described little apparent prior criminal history and emphasized the impact on the couple’s four children.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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