A House Springs man has been accused of shooting and killing his wife at their home in the 6200 block of Dulin Creek Road, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office announced today, Sept. 11.
Corey R. Bicklein, 49, allegedly shot and killed Sarah Bicklein, 49, on Sept. 10.
Corey Bicklein has been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. As of this afternoon, he was being held without bail at the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro, according to jail records.
According to the case’s probable-cause statement, Corey Bicklein told multiple people that he had killed Sarah Bicklein, and he also admitted to killing her during a standoff with law enforcement agents.
The Sheriff’s Office reported deputies were called to the home at about 7:30 a.m. Sept. 10. Negotiators spent about five hours on the phone with Corey Bicklein before SWAT members arrested him at about 1:15 p.m. when Corey Bicklein came out of the home and surrendered.
Sarah Bicklein’s body was found in the home.
The probable-cause statement said Sarah Bicklein’s body had injuries consistent with homicide and additional evidence was located in the home that corroborated Corey Bicklein’s admission of killing his wife.
Court records show Sarah Bicklein filed for divorce on June 22.
The investigation in House Springs was the first of two homicide investigations the Sheriff’s Office conducted on Thursday.
Catherine M. Koechling, 63, of Imperial was charged with first-degree domestic assault resulting in serious physical injury and armed criminal action in connection with the second investigation. She allegedly shot Eric Koechling, 61, who died after being transported to an area hospital, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were called about 9 p.m. to the 2600 block of Breakwater Drive in Imperial, where Eric Koechling was found sitting in a lawn chair and holding a towel against his chest in an attempt to control his bleeding, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
The deputies created a perimeter around Eric Koechling, who was across the street from the home where Catherine Koechling was barricaded inside.
The Sheriff’s Office Crisis Response Team and SWAT members were called to the home, and after several hours, Catherine Koechling surrendered and was taken into custody without further incident, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
If the two deaths are ruled homicides, it would be the eighth and ninth homicides the Sheriff’s Office has investigated this year. The Sheriff’s Office has investigated eight homicides since July 11.
There were a total of five homicides reported in Jefferson County last year, down from 11 homicides in 2024. There were three homicides in Jefferson County in 2023.