An Indiana man has been arrested after allegedly admitting to shooting his pregnant wife, saying he believed the baby she was carrying wasn’t his.
Jeremy McBride, 36, is accused of shooting his estranged wife, Kayla Netherland, in Indianapolis. According to court documents, McBride has been charged with attempted murder for shooting Netherland and feticide for ending her unborn child’s life.
The incident happened on Sunday, January 19, at a home in the 700 block of Pleasant Run Parkway Drive North. Police responded to a call just after 6 p.m. when a neighbor went to the house to do laundry and found McBride in the bathroom, standing next to Netherland, who was on the ground bleeding. The neighbor told officers no one else was in the home at the time.
When police arrived, they found Netherland with gunshot wounds in her back. She was rushed to the hospital, where doctors discovered she was 20 weeks pregnant. Thankfully, she survived the attack, but the baby did not.
McBride wasn’t at the scene when officers arrived. However, he reportedly called 911 shortly afterward to confess to the shooting. Police arrested him within 30 minutes. Investigators revealed that McBride admitted he had spent days planning the attack. He had purchased a gun, practiced firing it at a shooting range, and planned to take his own life after killing Netherland and her unborn child.
During his interview with detectives, McBride allegedly repeated several times that he had gone to the house intending to kill his wife and her baby before ending his own life. According to court records, McBride expressed anger over his wife’s pregnancy, saying they hadn’t yet finalized their divorce and that the baby wasn’t his. He reportedly left behind notes venting his frustrations about her alleged infidelity and their failed relationship.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said McBride’s actions show just how much thought went into his plan. “What’s alleged here is that he went to great lengths to carry out what he intended to do,” Mears explained, adding that it’s unusual for a suspect to be so forthcoming about their intentions.
Netherland’s family shared that she had long dreamed of becoming a mother. After struggling with several failed pregnancies, this baby was her “miracle.” The family described their heartbreak, saying, “She was five months pregnant with her miracle baby, and now she’s lost her child because of this outrageous crime.”
While Netherland survived the attack, the impact has been devastating. Surgeons had to remove her left ovary, left fallopian tube, and other parts of her reproductive system.
McBride is set to appear in court for his initial hearing on Friday, January 24.
