Ralston Man Charged With Shooting Wife To Death

A Ralston man has been charged in the shooting death of his wife.  Charles Dwayne Silsby, Senior is being held in the Pawnee County Jail without bond on one count of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder.

Pawnee County Sheriff Mike Waters called in the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation for help in the case.

Silsby, 53, was arrested July 11, 2012, after he called 911 to report that his wife had been shot.

According to court documents, Charles Silsby told OSBI agents he had been arguing with his wife, Patricia, since 8 o'clock that morning.  

Silsby said he and his wife were in their computer room when he noticed Patricia holding his 9mm handgun under her arm.  He told investigators he saw that the hammer on the gun was cocked back, so he tried to grab the gun from Patricia's hand and they fell to the floor.  

He told the agents he got the gun out of Patricia's hand, then held it up to her head and said "Is this what you want" several times.  When Patricia grabbed his wrist the gun went off, he said.  Silsby called 911, removed the magazine and one live round from the gun then set the gun, the magazine and the bullet on a desk.  

He told agents he then picked up the spent casing and threw it toward the bathroom.   Silsby told agents he then went to the bathroom and got a wet wipe which he used to wipe the blood from his wife's face.  He then flushed the wipe down the toilet and washed his hands, according to court documents.  He then used his cell phone to take a photo of his wife as she lay on the floor.

Patricia Silsby, 43, died of her injuries sometime Sunday night or Monday morning, the sheriff said. 

Charles Silsby told the agents that his wife never pointed the gun at him or threatened him during the argument.  He said he did not intend to shoot her, but was afraid she was going to hurt herself.