Man pleads guilty in self-defense killing of girlfriend

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indianapolis man has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter charges after killing his girlfriend with a hammer.

39-year-old Chad Gilman agreed to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter, a level two felony charge. Murder charges were dropped in the case.

On July 13, 2014, police were called to the 4600 block of Lynnfield Road after callers told police a man was outside the apartments screaming that his girlfriend was dead.

Gilman was taken in for questioning and later arrested.

According to court documents, Gilman admitted to hitting Abigail Baker with a hammer while the two were arguing, yelling “she went into a rage, I hit her with a hammer, it was self-defense!”

Officers on the scene said Gilman told them that Baker tried to attack him with a knife.

The Marion County Coroner’s Office said Baker died as a result of a cervical spinal fracture along with massive internal hemorrhaging.

Gilman will be sentenced in the case on Jan. 29.