Warrant: Apex woman told police she struck husband with a hammer

A 55-year-old woman charged in her husband's murder told investigators that they had a fight in which she struck him in the head, face and body with a hammer, according search warrants released Friday.

Posted 8:26 p.m. Jul 24, 2009 — Updated 4:14 p.m. Jul 25, 2009

APEX, N.C. — A 55-year-old woman charged in her husband's murder told investigators that they had a fight in which she struck him in the head, face and body with a hammer, according search warrants released Friday.

Jolene Kay Hardy, 55, of 3804 Perney Court, was arrested July 17 in the death of 60-year-old Gerald Douglas Hardy.

Jolene Hardy told police that after her husband lost consciousness she cleaned up the blood from his body and the scene, according to court documents.

Authorities found Gerald Hardy’s body in couple's home on July 16 after Jolene Hardy made 911 call from a neighbor's house.

In the 911 call, Jolene Hardy said she found his body after he had left sometime on July 15 and she went out searching for him. She added that her husband had suffered from lymphoma for six years and went to "gang areas" hoping he would be killed so he wouldn't die of the disease.

She changed her story when investigators questioned her, the search warrants reveal.

Gerald Hardy's family members said they were not aware that he had any serious illness.

Police found Gerald Hardy lying on the kitchen floor. He was cold and there were “obvious signs of rigor mortis setting in,” court documents stated.

Preliminary autopsy results show that Gerald Hardy died of blunt-force trauma. Investigators haven't commented on a motive.

Authorities searched the couple’s home and two vehicles at the residence. Among the items seized from the home were a laptop computer, a 10-inch pipe wrench and blood samples from paper towels, according to court documents.

A relative of Gerald Hardy, who asked for her identity to be concealed, said both Hardys complained of relationship problems as far back as 2004.

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