DUNMORE — A Dunmore man facing child endangerment charges connected to a homicide has been named a suspect in the death, Dunmore Police said in a statement Saturday.
Officers were called to 21 Veterans Drive at about 11:20 p.m. Thursday for the report of an unresponsive woman. When officers arrived, they found Nicole Vega dead next to a loaded handgun and with her three children nearby.
Officers found Maxwell Hawkins, 37, also of 21 Veterans Drive, at the scene, intoxicated and disoriented. He told officers his wife cheated on him.
Hawkins told officers he had touched the handgun, but left it next to the body, although there were three children in the residence. He was charged with putting them in danger.
Following an autopsy on Friday, Lackawanna County Coroner Tim Rowland ruled the manner of death a homicide and the cause of death a gunshot wound to the head.
In the Saturday release, police said, “Maxwell Hawkins is identified as the person of interest (suspect) of the homicide and a motive was identified, though he will notbe formally charged until the investigation has been completed.”
Hawkins remains at the Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $1 million bail.