(La Porte, IN) - A man accused of fatally shooting his girlfriend at her home in La Porte made his initial court appearance today.

 

John McCaw, 62, is charged with murder. McCaw allegedly delivered a single gunshot wound to the head of 57-year-old Nancy Ainsworth on August 18.

 

During today's hearing, McCaw, when offered a public defender, said he wanted to try and hire his own attorney to represent him in the case.

 

La Porte Circuit Court Judge Tom Alevizos scheduled a hearing in two weeks for McCaw to report if he's been able to hire an attorney or needs the court to appoint him a public defender. Alevizos scheduled the case for trial on August 7.  

 

According to court documents, a man believed to be McCaw told a 911 dispatcher the woman shot herself in the head by accident, and he was still inside the home with the victim. However, a neighbor's surveillance system captured McCaw leaving the residence ten minutes before the call, police said.

 

Court documents also revealed police later stopped McCaw in Gary, who knew he was a person of interest in the slaying.

 

Ainsworth was soon pronounced dead after being discovered on a living room couch in her home at 906 Ridge Street. 

 

Evidence at the scene indicates the shot was fired through a pillow, judging by what appeared to be bullet entry and exit holes on the pillow located near a spent shell casing and the body.

 

According to court documents, what police described as a suicide note apparently written by McCaw, was found on a kitchen counter. The letter contained an apology to his son for taking his life and revealed the suspect left everything he owned to his son. Blame was also placed on the victim in the letter announcing his intentions to commit suicide.

 

"It's time for me to be gone!" the words in the letter proclaimed. The letter also indicated McCaw was heading to Michigan to "say goodbye to my brothers."

 

Authorities offered no explanation on why McCaw was in Gary, not Michigan, after the fatal shooting.

 

Alevizos ordered McCaw to remain held without bond until the case's conclusion.