A woman and her boyfriend were detained in connection with the July death of her ex-husband, a former WWE wrestler.
According to a news release from the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Michael Hogue, 51, and Amanda Penny, 40, were both arrested on Monday, Nov. 17, on accusations of first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by specified individuals in connection with the death of 41-year-old Kevin Nikel.
Nikel was discovered with a gunshot wound to the abdomen on July 11 in the Rogers, Ark., region, according to a Benton County Sheriff’s Office press release.
He was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead.
Nikel’s mother, Susan Kinderman, told 5NEWS that family members “still don’t know exactly what happened when he got shot.”
Kinderman continued: “The detectives have been pretty close lipped on that, which is good, but we’d still like to know exactly what happened and who did what.”
Nikel and Penny were high school sweethearts, Kinderman told the site. The couple formalized their divorce just days before the shooting, she told 5News.
According to the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette, citing court records, the former couple’s divorce was granted on July 8.
The Democrat Gazette alleged that Penny and Hogue are romantically linked, based on court filings.
According to the Democrat Gazette, Penny’s public defender informed a judge during a bond hearing on Wednesday, Nov. 19, that she is seven months pregnant and under the supervision of a doctor.
Nikel wrestled in WWE NXT as Knuckles Madsen from 2012 to 2013.
Nikel established the Ozark Wrestling Academy and the Ozark Mountain Wrestling promotion, according to his obituary.
Hogue is being jailed under a $750,000 bond. Penny is being jailed on a $500,000 bond, according to the Democrat Gazette.
