Woman, 52, faces deliberate homicide charges for shooting husband

Justice of the Peace Jay C. Sheffield on Friday afternoon denied bail for Kristina Welch, the 52-year-old woman who is accused of killing her husband at their Granite Lake Road home.

   Welch is charged with deliberate homicide — the most serious offense — in the slaying of her husband, William Bryan Welch, 50.

   During the hearing, Lincoln County Deputy Attorney Joseph Cik, standing in for County Attorney Bernard Cassidy, said prosecutors were seeking $200,000 bail, which Sheffield denied.

   “No bail. Not at this point,” Sheffield said.

   Public Defender Courtney Nolan, representing Welch at the hearing, has requested a bond hearing.

   Sheffield acknowledged, and then asked Welch whether she understood the charge against her and reaffirmed she is seeking a public defender.

   Asked after the hearing, Cik was limited in what he could discuss, instead citing the on-going investigation. However, he did confirm Welch suffered “a single gunshot would to the upper torso.”

   Asked about the caliber of the firearm, Cik said he could neither confirm nor deny the caliber, again indicating the investigation.

   Information on the case has been slow to be released, pending notification of next of kin, which Cik confirmed they had been notified.

   “Yes. Yes, they have been notified,” Cik said shortly after the hearing.

   On Thursday, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputies received a 911 emergency call at 8:45 a.m. stating there had been a shooting at the residence south of town.

   Police scanner traffic indicated the victim may have been shot much earlier than when the 911 call was made.

   Asked whether that is the case, Cik could not confirm. However, police reports do not show a domestic disturbance at the rural Welch resident the night before.

   Upon receiving the 911 call Thursday morning, sheriff’s deputies responded to the residence where they discovered the deceased.

  At the time of the call, Lincoln County telecommunicators dispatched an ambulance, which upon finding the man deceased, recalled the ambulance.