A woman murdered her firefighter husband but claimed he took his own life

Heather Hicks Auman is being charged with first-degree murder days after claiming her husband, Mishael “MJ” James Auman, had taken his own life.

On June 25, 2022, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Ridge Road, Seagrove, North Carolina. When authorities arrived at the home, they found 37-year-old Mishael “MJ” James Auman, breathing but unconscious. Auman was immediately transported to a local hospital but was unable to survive his fatal injuries.  

On the day of the murder, Auman’s wife, Heather Auman, called police and claimed her husband had shot himself. She told dispatchers, “We were just fussing. He told me he couldn’t do it anymore and he pulled out his gun."

After an investigation, detectives issued a warrant for the arrest of Heather Auman on a first-degree murder charge. Heather Auman, 37, was taken into custody on June 29 and is currently being held at the Randolph County Detention Center without bail. She has an appearance in court scheduled for July 1, 2022.  

Following the death of Mishael Auman, Melissa Bunker, a neighbor, told reporters, “We don’t expect this in a small town. Absolutely it’s a loss for our community. He was a great first responder. He was a great firefighter.” MJ Auman was a man with “strong ties” to the community. He was a longtime firefighter in Randolph County and a full-time employee with the City of Asheboro, according to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office.

The murder remains under investigation, and a motive has not been revealed at this time.