A Pennsylvania man, Maxwell Hawkins, 37, faces charges after his wife, Nicole Vega, was found dead from a single gunshot wound to the head. Authorities allege that Hawkins left Vega’s body in a pool of blood for her three children to discover. Hawkins was arrested Thursday on charges unrelated to the murder, including child endangerment and public drunkenness.
The disturbing case came to light after police responded to Hawkins’ residence around 11:20 p.m. According to the PBS affiliate. WVIA-TVA neighbor, Michael Schwarz, had already taken the children out of the house when officers arrived. Schwarz explained that Hawkins had called him earlier from a convenience store, saying that he and Vega had argued and claiming that she was “acting strange.” Hawkins expressed concern that Vega could hurt herself.
Schwarz told police he encouraged Hawkins to return home to be with Vega. However, Hawkins called again later, allegedly saying that Vega “was gone.” This prompted Schwarz to run to the house, evacuate the children and call 911.
When officers entered the home, they found Hawkins in the kitchen, visibly intoxicated and exhibiting “extremely erratic” behavior. Police described him as mumbling incoherently.which makes it difficult to understand their statements. When asked about Vega’s whereabouts, Hawkins pointed up. However, officers eventually found Vega’s body outside near the pool.
According to police, Hawkins claimed that Vega had “set him up” when confronted about her death. Despite the circumstances, he has not yet been charged with murder. Hawkins was arraigned Friday and is scheduled to appear before Magisterial District Judge Sean Gallagher on Jan. 14. Unable to post bail, Hawkins remains in the Lackawanna County Jail.
The tragic death has left the couple’s three daughters in the care of their aunt, Destinney. Vega’s family has created a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral expenses and provide financial support to the children. The fundraiser reads: “On Thursday, January 2, Nicole Vega tragically passed away, leaving behind 3 beautiful daughters.
“We are seeking donations to help Nicole rest respectfully as she deserves and to assist with the additional financial care of the children.” As of Thursday, the fundraiser had raised $2,556 of its $10,000 goal. The family also expressed gratitude to those who contributed clothing, food and kind words during this difficult time. The investigation continues as authorities work to reconstruct the events that led to Vega’s death.