"You could hear a lot of fighting and arguing going on, and you could hear it coming from up there."

Jeff Cottrell of Ohio County says he heard a lot of violence from the Arons Lane home of 29-year-old Stephen and 35-year-old Judith Weikel.

"There had been some occasions where our department had answered calls there before on domestic disputes," says Sergeant Tracy Beatty of the Ohio County Sheriff's Department. "This wasn't the first time we've been there. I think this had been our third or fourth occasion we had to go to the residence on domestic problems."

So, what was it that happened in Hartford early Christmas morning?

Sergeant Beatty says the sheriff's department received a call from Stephen's sister at 5:45 a.m., claiming Judith had attempted suicide.

Investigators say when they arrived, Judith was in the bathtub with apparent rope marks around her neck.

According to investigators, Stephen's story was full of inconsistencies, while his hands showed several injuries consistent with rope burns.

"Once he was faced with information and the evidence the officers had taken from the scene gathered there, he did confess to our officers that he did commit the offense of trying to strangle his wife," Sergeant Beatty explains.

The Owensboro Mercy Health System is now reporting Judith to be in stable condition, while Stephen, now charged with attempted murder, is staying at the Ohio County Detention Center on a $100,000 bond.

"We're going to call it a jealousy act," says Sergeant Beatty. "There was some feelings involved where one or the other may have had a boyfriend or girlfriend, and that's all we can elaborate on at this point in time."

"Never thought anything like that was coming," Jeff concludes. "Everybody argues and fights, but I never thought something like that would happen."

Sergeant Beatty adds Stephen and Judith Weikel have two children, aged three and four.

He says they are being held by the Cabinet for Social Services.