An Imperial woman has been charged with allegedly shooting her former husband, who died after he was transported to an area hospital, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported today, Sept. 11.
Catherine M. Koechling, 63, allegedly shot Eric Koechling, 61, on Thursday, Sept. 10, at the couple’s home in the 2600 block of Breakwater Drive in Imperial. She has been charged with first-degree domestic assault resulting in serious physical injury and armed criminal action, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Catherine Koechling was transported to a hospital for treatment unrelated to her arrest on Thursday, the Sheriff’s Office reported. Sheriff’s Office spokesman Grant Bissell said an arrest warrant has been issued for Catherine Koechling, and she will be held without bond at the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro after being released from the hospital.
Eric Koechling was found across the street from the couple’s home when deputies were called about 9 p.m. Thursday. He was bleeding from an apparent gunshot wound to his stomach, and deputies formed a perimeter around him to allow emergency medical services personnel to treat him, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
Catherine Koechling had barricaded herself inside the home, and the Sheriff’s Office Crisis Response Team and SWAT members were called to the house. After hours of negotiations, Catherine Koechling surrendered and was arrested without incident, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
According to the case’s probable-cause statement, Eric Koechling had called 911 and said his wife had shot him. Catherine Koechling also called 911 and allegedly said she shot Eric Koechling.
Catherine Koechling also allegedly told negotiators that she had shot her husband while she was barricaded inside the home, the report said.
The Sheriff’s Office reported Catherine Koechling and Eric Koechling were recently divorced. Court records show Catherine Koechling filed for divorce in March 2025.
The investigation in Imperial was the second homicide investigation the Sheriff’s Office conducted on Thursday
Earlier that day, deputies were called to the 6200 block of Dulin Creek Road in House Springs after Corey R. Bicklein, 49, allegedly shot and killed his wife, Sarah Bicklein, 49.
Corey Bicklein was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action, and 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.
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.
Original story:
A man died at an area hospital after being found bleeding from a gunshot wound outside an Imperial home, and a woman was arrested following an hourslong standoff Thursday evening, Sept. 10, in the 2600 block of Breakwater Drive, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported.
In a Facebook post, the department said this was the second domestic-related homicide deputies investigated on Thursday. The Sheriff’s Office also reported the man and woman had recently divorced.
The department has not released more information about the man who died or the woman who was arrested as of this afternoon, Sept. 11.
Earlier in the day, a man was arrested after he surrendered following a five-hour standoff at a home in the 6200 block of Dulin Creek Road in House Springs. After the man was arrested, SWAT members found a woman’s body in the house.
The Sheriff’s Officer reported deputies were called about 9 p.m. Thursday to the Imperial home, and they found a man sitting in a lawn chair and holding a towel against his chest in an attempt to control his bleeding. The deputies created a perimeter around the man, who was across the street from the home where the suspect was barricaded inside.
The man was transported to an area hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office Crisis Response Team and SWAT members were called to the home, and after several hours, the suspect 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.
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.