A father is facing charges for allegedly shooting his wife seven times in front of their two young children, claiming it was in self-defense due to suspicions of her infidelity.
Dearborn County Prosecutor Lynn Deddens announced on Nov. 8 that Mohammed Mondal is charged with murder, two counts of neglect of a dependent, and a felony firearm sentencing enhancement in connection with the death of his 40-year-old wife, Stacy Mondal.
According to the probable cause statement, on Nov. 6, around 11:50 a.m., Mohammed called his neighbor, Dearborn County Sgt. Kenneth McAllister, and claimed he accidentally shot his wife in the left arm in self-defense. Mohammed, sounding panicked, drove Stacy to the hospital where deputies, already alerted, found her slumped in the passenger seat with a handgun nearby.
Despite efforts in the emergency room, Stacy was pronounced dead at 12:11 p.m. The couple’s two children, aged 14 months and 2 months, were reportedly in the vehicle during the incident.
Outside the hospital, Mohammed told a deputy about the alleged self-defense shooting, claiming Stacy had gone for his gun. He mentioned ongoing marital problems and his belief that Stacy had affairs with two neighborhood men. He also believed he was being followed by one of the men and his father-in-law.
According to the probable cause statement, the argument escalated in the car on their way to a photo shoot at J.C. Penney. Mohammed stated that Stacy hit him with her cell phone, prompting him to grab his gun and shoot her. He called 911 but hung up, reaching out to McAllister instead.
During subsequent interviews, Mohammed maintained his self-defense claim, alleging Stacy pointed the gun at him before he shot her. However, there was no evidence of the victim firing a handgun in the car.
An autopsy revealed seven gunshot wounds, with bullets hitting Stacy’s heart, lungs, and liver. Mohammed Mondal is set to appear in court for a hearing on Nov. 9. Her family also organized a GoFundMe to benefit the future needs of her children. You can donate here.