Court proceedings in the case of a Cheat Lake man accused of killing his wife on April 19 were continued Wednesday in Monongalia County Magistrate Court.
On April 25, Rick Allen Cordes, 50, of Morgantown, was charged with first-degree murder, nearly a week after an alleged altercation involving a Taurus .44 caliber revolver resulted in the death of Jennifer L. Hribar, 39, at the couple’s home on Falling Water Lane.
According to court documents, detectives with the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department discovered the couple was seen arguing at two Cheat Lake restaurants shortly before the shooting, with Cordes being the primary aggressor in the fights.
The night of the shooting, Cordes, who called 911 and was still on scene, provided multiple statements to 911 dispatchers, first responders and detectives. His version of events directly before and when the victim was shot changed several times, according to detective statements.
In one statement to detectives, Cordes allegedly admitted that he had contact with the grip of the revolver and that “it was possible that either his or both of their fingers pulled the trigger.”
Following an autopsy performed by the chief medical examiner’s office, it was determined that Hribar’s manner of death was a homicide. She suffered a gunshot to the back of the head.
Wednesday’s hearing was postponed due to defense attorney scheduling conflicts, according to the magistrate clerk’s office. A new hearing date has yet to be scheduled.
Cordes remains in custody at North Central Regional Jail without bond.
