An Indiana man reportedly admitted to the fatal shooting of his new wife and two of her relatives – before telling authorities the deceased were all part of a notorious drug cartel.
Patrick Waite, 77, was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder for the May 29 shooting that unfolded following an argument with his wife, Alma Waite, 61, over the ownership of his Haubstadt, Indiana, home, WFIE reported.
Authorities say Patrick Waite called 911 and later told police, “I shot them all. I’m certainly not proud of that fact at all.”
Police records show that Alma Waite and her two relatives, Florida Tapia Garcia, 81, and Fernando Tapia Ramirez Sr., 39, were all shot in the head. A fourth victim was shot in the chest and neck but survived.
A child also witnessed the shooting and hid alongside other family members, according to the report.
Patrick Waite told police he and his wife got into an argument over ownership of the home when he shot her in the kitchen.
In a complaint, Patrick Waite alleged elder abuse against his deceased wife’s family and her heirs, WFIE reported.
The couple, who met online, began living together in his home just weeks after meeting. Within five months, they got married without telling any of his children.
Alma Waite pressured Patrick Waite into allowing her family to move into the home, he claimed. At the time, he said he was not aware that her family was involved in criminal gangs, including the notorious Sinaloa Cartel, according to the complaint.
Alma Waite then blocked her husband’s children and grandchildren on his phone after his daughter tried to warn him that she was a “con,” the complaint alleges.
Attorneys for Patrick Waite claim his wife’s sons committed violent assaults, physically abused children and made violent threats against his life.
According to the complaint, Alma Waite would pressure her husband to change the deed to his home and add her name to it. On April 1, 2024, Patrick Waite signed a document that his wife had prepared, believing it would put both their names on the deed. Instead, the document removed his name from the deed, giving up his family home of nearly 30 years.
His lawyers then claim that Alma Waite transferred the deed to her daughter in an attempt to prevent him from claiming any portion of the property in case they separated.
Less than 24 hours before Anna Waite’s death, the complaint alleges that the home was put up for sale on a cash-only basis. A judge has since stopped the sale of the house, according to court documents.
