Louisa man accused of killing wife

Authorities say a Louisa County man called his elderly father at a nursing home this weekend and confessed to killing his wife of 25 years.

Forrest Smythers Jr. called his father at a Charlottesville nursing home Sunday and said he was contemplating suicide or running away because he had just shot his wife, said Maj. Donnie Lowe of the Louisa County Sheriff's Office. The father told a nurse about the phone call, and the nurse notified police.

Authorities raided the house in the Holly Grove area of Louisa to find the 53-year-old Smythers sitting in a chair, cradling a .22-caliber rifle. His 52-year-old wife, Dawn Smythers, lay dead on the sofa behind him.

Lowe said officers were able to wrest the rifle from Smythers and arrest him. "He went for the trigger, but they managed to secure him and the rifle," he said.

Dawn Smythers had been shot once in the head, Lowe said.

"We know they were arguing for a good part of the day, but we haven't been able to pinpoint what straw broke the camel's back," Lowe said.

Forrest Smythers is charged with first-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, according to Lowe. Authorities found marijuana in Forrest Smythers' vehicle and drug paraphernalia in the house, Lowe said.

Smythers is being held without bond at the Central Virginia Regional Jail in Orange County.

This was Louisa County's first homicide of the year.

Contact Carlos Santos at (434) 295-9542 or .