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Police searching financial, phone records for clues to Apex man's death

Authorities released nine more search warrants Friday as they investigate the death of an Apex man.

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APEX, N.C. — Authorities released nine more search warrants Friday in their investigation of an Apex man's death.

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

Search warrant requests reveal that police are looking at the couple's finances and phone calls. They asked for records from seven bank, investment and credit card accounts, as well as permission to access information from the couple's cell phone and a notebook computer found in the house.

According to search warrants releaseed last week, investigators said Jolene Hardy told them she fought with her husband and that she struck him in the head, face and body with a hammer. She said that after her husband lost consciousness, she cleaned up the blood from his body and the scene.

Authorities found Gerald Hardy’s body in the couple's home on July 16 after Jolene Hardy called 911  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.

Investigators said she changed her story when they questioned her, the search warrants reveal.

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 a laptop computer , 10-inch pipe wrench and blood samples from paper towels, according to court documents.

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