Man Shot Wife With Crossbow While She Was Sleeping On Sofa

A man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder after he allegedly shot his wife with a crossbow while she was sleeping on a sofa at their home in Ottumwa, Iowa on Wednesday, Aug. 17.

The accused, George Edward Dennison, 68, is facing charges of attempted murder and domestic abuse assault, after he allegedly snuck up on his 68-year-old wife, Lillian Dennison, with a crossbow and shot at her as she slept on a sofa at their residence in 330 Evergreen in eastern Ottumwa on Wednesday, Aug. 17, ABC News reported.

Lillian had reportedly gotten into a verbal altercation with George before she went to bed on Tuesday night. She slept on the sofa resting her hands between her head and pillow. Later, at around 1 a.m., George walked up to Lillian carrying a crossbow while she was asleep on the sofa. He then used the crossbow and shot her through the hand, with the bolt pinning her to her pillow.

Lillian had to be taken to a local area hospital for immediate treatment. Lillian, who suffered minor injuries in the attack, was subsequently released from the health facility, Fox News reported.

After shooting his wife with the crossbow, George fleed the scene of the crime. However, after a joint manhunt by officers from the Ottumwa Police Department and Wapello County Sheriff's Office, he was located approximately nine hours after the incident near a wooded area around Evergreen and Mable in Ottumwa, about 600 feet southeast of the residence.

"Later that morning at approximately 10:00 a.m., officers from the Ottumwa Police Department and the Wapello County Sheriff's Department arrested George Edward Dennison, age 68, near the wooded area around Evergreen and Mable in Ottumwa," the police said in a statement.

Following this, George was arrested and taken into custody, and charged with an attempt to commit murder along with domestic abuse assault. However, authorities did not disclose any possible motives for the incident.

George is now being held on these charges in the Wapello County Jail with a US$50,000 cash-only bond.