New Jersey woman charged with murder in Christmas Day shooting of her husband

A New Jersey woman has been charged with murder, accused of fatally shooting her husband, a local Republican political figure, on Christmas Day.

Hamilton Township police responded to a residence in the 5200 block of Mays Landing Somers Point Road Sunday with a report of an injured man, according to a release by the Atlantic County District Attorney’s Office.

When officers arrived, they found David B. Wigglesworth with an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The man’s wife, Marylue Wigglesworth, 51, called 911 saying she had been in a fight and told responding officers she shot her husband, local newspaper reported. The Atlantic City Press reported citing the arrest affidavit.

She was arrested in connection with his death and booked into the Atlantic County Justice Center.

An autopsy determined Wigglesworth died of a single gunshot wound and the manner of death was a homicide, prosecutors said.

Wigglesworth was active in supporting the Republican party in New Jersey.

He previously served as chairman of the Planning Board in Hamilton Township and ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the Township Committee in 2012, The Press of Atlantic City reported.

Hamilton Township Republicans shared a tribute to him on Facebook saying: “He was a dedicated member of the party and worked tirelessly to support many Republican campaigns over the years, including his own. We send our prayers to his son and his extended family.”

According to online records, Wigglesworth has yet to plead guilty.

His attorneys, Jonathan E. Diego and Melissa Rosenblum, said in a statement shared with NBC News: “A tragedy occurred on Christmas Eve. “Milisecond. Wigglesworth is innocent of the charges against him… The events of that harrowing night will unfold in a court of law, not the court of public opinion.”