An Indianapolis man has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for killing his wife in front of their four children, ending a case that began with allegations of domestic violence and a protective-order request filed only days before the fatal shooting.
Cecil Mains, 47, was sentenced Monday, October 5, to 45 years behind bars followed by five years of probation in connection with the December 2025 killing of his wife, Jeri Mains, 44. He pleaded guilty to murder on August 26.
The court also ordered Mains to have no contact with the couple’s children while he serves his sentence. Court records indicate that protected family members may petition to have the restriction lifted after turning 18.
Children called 911 during the shooting
The couple’s four children, who were ages 19, 16, 14 and 10 at the time, were home when the shooting occurred.
Multiple emergency calls were made as the children sought help. During one of the calls, the youngest child told a dispatcher that her father was shooting her mother and said she was hiding.
Another child told dispatchers that his father had shot his mother inside the house and in the driveway.
Investigators said the children’s calls captured the confusion and distress unfolding at the home.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Mains used a .380-caliber handgun during the shooting. Jeri suffered fatal gunshot wounds, including injuries to her heart, liver and spine.
She was taken to a hospital after police arrived but was pronounced dead.
Protective-order request came three days before her death
The shooting happened on December 28, 2025. Three days earlier, on Christmas Day, Jeri had filed a petition seeking a protective order against her husband.
In the filing, she described herself as a victim of domestic violence and detailed several incidents involving alleged physical abuse and threats.
One allegation involved an encounter on Christmas Eve in which she said Mains assaulted her with kitchen tongs, leaving cuts and bruising.
The filing also described earlier confrontations. Among the allegations were that Mains punched her during an argument, damaged the window of her truck and made threats against members of the family and their pets.
Jeri had also told investigators that she wanted to move forward with a divorce. According to the court records, she met Mains near a courthouse on Christmas Eve and described a conversation in which he allegedly threatened to kill himself in front of her and their children.
The protective-order petition had not yet been approved
The timing of Jeri’s filing became a significant part of the case.
Because she submitted the request on Christmas Day, court offices were closed. A judge did not review the petition before the shooting occurred three days later.
The protective-order filing was subsequently processed, but Jeri was killed before the requested protection could take effect.
Investigators also learned from Jeri’s brother that the couple had been having serious marital problems. He told police that Jeri had discovered Mains was cheating and had made him leave their home. Mains had reportedly been staying with his brother.
The brother also told investigators that Jeri had previously spoken about physical abuse.
Mains fled after the shooting
After Jeri was shot, Mains left the residence in a Toyota Tundra.
Police later located the vehicle and took him into custody without incident.
The case remained pending through the following months before Mains entered his guilty plea in August 2026. His October sentencing now brings the criminal case to a major conclusion, although the impact of Jeri’s death continues for the children and other family members.
Mains will spend decades in prison under the sentence imposed by the court, followed by five years of probation.
The children have also been left to cope with the loss of their mother after witnessing the violence inside their home. A fundraiser established to support them described the aftermath as a complete change in their lives.
The court’s no-contact order will remain in place during Mains’ sentence, adding another restriction as the family moves forward without Jeri.
