This article was originally published on GoErie by Tim Hahn and Madeleine O’Neill on January 23, 2017.

GIRARD – A Springfield Township woman who police say admitted to pointing a handgun at her husband to “scare him” during an argument is facing a homicide charge after he was shot in the head early Friday morning.

Catherine A. Lucas, 52, is charged with homicide, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering and possessing an instrument of crime in the death of Kevin S. Lucas, 46, to whom she had been married for 16½ years.

McKean District Judge Denise Stuck-Lewis arraigned Catherine Lucas at 11:45 a.m. Friday and ordered her held at the Erie County Prison with no bond set because she is charged with homicide, according to court records.

The shooting occurred at the couple’s residence at 11868 Main Street in East Springfield and was reported at 1:25 a.m. Friday. The Lucases were married in August 2000, according to county records.

Catherine Lucas called state police in Girard through Erie County 911 and related that during a domestic dispute she shot her husband with a .45-caliber handgun, said Trooper Cindy Owens, public information officer for state police Troop E in Lawrence Park Township.

Troopers from the Girard state police barracks went to the residence and found Kevin Lucas deceased on the bedroom floor, with a single gunshot wound to the face, Owens said.

Catherine Lucas was taken into custody at the residence and the gun was recovered, Owens said.

State police interviewed Catherine Lucas at 6:20 a.m., according to the criminal complaint, filed by Trooper Samuel Laureto. Lucas told police that she and her husband began arguing while they were driving home from an evening out and continued arguing on and off when they arrived at their residence, Laureto wrote.

She also told police that Kevin Lucas had become “physically aggressive with her and threatened her with a handgun in the bedroom,” according to the complaint. She told police she grabbed her loaded .45-caliber pistol from the bedroom dresser and pointed it at her husband to “scare him,” the complaint states.

“At this point Catherine fired the pistol at the victim and he immediately fell to the ground,” the complaint states.

Deputy Coroner John Maloney, who responded to the scene of the shooting, confirmed that Kevin Lucas was deceased and that he died of an apparent gunshot wound to the head, according to the complaint.

An autopsy will be performed on Kevin Lucas over the weekend, Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook said.

Tim Hahn can be reached at 870-1731or by email. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNHahn.

Madeleine O’Neill can be reached at 870-1728 or by email. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNoneill.