Sometimes, the quiet corners of domestic life hide tensions that no one knew could happen until it’s too late. What starts as an ordinary evening can suddenly turn into something tragic, violent, and irreversible. That’s exactly what happened inside a modest Iowa home this week, where a fight between a couple for over 40 years ended in a gunshot and tragedy. And at the heart of it all? A dog.
A 66-year-old woman from Iowa, Kimberly Ann Charlton, is now facing a first-degree murder charge after allegedly shooting her husband dead inside their home. The reason was, he was going after their dog with a cane.
Kimberly Charlton, 66, was charged with first-degree murder after fatally shooting her husband, 72-year-old David Charlton, in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She claimed he threatened their dog with a cane during an argument and was shot while following the dog.
— NTC Feed (@NTC_Feed) June 6, 2025
According to cops, David Alan Charlton, 72, was shot during what started as a domestic dispute and quickly turned deadly.
The press release from the Cedar Falls Department of Public Safety states that police officers, at about 6:32 p.m. on Wednesday, responded to a residence on the 4300 block of Newland Drive following that they received a report of a domestic dispute where a person “had possibly been shot.” And sources say that the home is at a distance of 100 miles southwest of Des Moines.
When the police came to the scene, they first spotted an adult male victim and then identified him as David Charlton, who apparently experienced a fatal gunshot wound. Eventually, he was declared dead at the scene. Authorities found his wife, too, on the scene and immediately arrested her. Police said that Black Hawk County Dispatch, MercyOne Paramedics, and the Cedar Falls Fire Division helped them with the case effectively.
https://youtu.be/-HNmWunBuQo?feature=shared
According to the criminal complaint obtained by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, the night took a dark turn long before the gun went off. Detectives say Kimberly Charlton told them that earlier that evening, things had already escalated inside the bedroom. She claimed her husband had tried to assault her, but before he could go any further, their dog stepped in.
David Charlton then went to take the cane out of the bedroom and returned shortly and threatened to beat the animal, Kimberly Charlton reportedly added. Then the dog went down the hallway, and David Charlton took the trail and had the cane in his hand.
Seeing him running behind the dog, she eventually grabbed a firearm to stop the situation and went on to the hallway and even told her husband, “I’m going to shoot you if you don’t stop.” And seeing that he didn’t stop, Kimberly Charlton fired a single shot that struck her husband in the center of his back.
A lady in my hometown was just arrested for shooting her husband, he was beating her and the dog intervened and he threatened to hit the dog and the lady shoot of a warning shot and then shot him in the back. He died on the scene.
Periodddd girl. Fuck dv. 💜— thug barbie; ❤👑💎♒️ (@theayannaj) June 5, 2025
Whatever Kimberly did that moment, she claims it was only to protect the dog, because with bare hands, she didn’t stand a chance. Some people are calling her actions morally justified; however, legally? There’s no escaping it. A punishment is almost certain.
Speculations are also there that her punishment should be reduced concerning the whole scenario, but the law doesn’t run on emotions.
