A California man accused of killing his wife wanted to keep her quiet to stop her from talking about a crime she witnessed, according to police.
FOX 40 reports that Anthony Gumina made his first court appearance Tuesday, following his arrest in connection with the death of his wife, Heather Gumina Waters. Police found Heather’s body earlier this month after she was reported missing July 15.
Although it’s unclear what exactly Heather may have been witness to, court documents could have been referring to Gumina’s alleged physical attack on Heather earlier this year.
According to a criminal complaint, Gumina is accused of headbutting and tackling Heather in February while she held their young son at the Placerville home. The suspect then allegedly took her phone away to prevent her from calling 911.
Gumina was scheduled to go to trial this month for the alleged domestic violence incident.
“Heather Gumina was a witness to a crime and was intentionally killed to prevent her from testifying in a criminal proceeding,” court documents read.
The missing person case of Heather Gumina has transitioned into a homicide investigation.On the evening of Sept 6th,…
Posted by El Dorado County Sheriff's Office on Saturday, September 7, 2019
Heather was released from the hospital for a broken collarbone the night before she disappeared. Court documents filed on September 6 indicate that Gumina was responsible for her broken collarbone after attacking her.
Shortly after her disappearance, Gumina filed a restraining order against Heather, claiming that she punched him in the face and “tried to tip wheelbarrow full of sand on my legs.”
According to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, Gumina has previous criminal convictions for burglary and witness intimidation.
The man insisted last month, however, that he had nothing to do with Heather’s disappearance, although he admitted their marriage was likely over.
“Look, this marriage is not going to work out but I would never do anything like this [harming her]. I’m a lover. I’m not that kind of guy,” Gumina told DailyMailTV. ‘The sheriffs [deputies] were here for like 30 hours doing an investigation. They took my car. They walked every piece of land so I’m cleaning up again and again and again and I’m dealing with my wife. I don’t deserve this.”
Gumina is being held without bail at the El Dorado County Jail. He faces first-degree murder and domestic violence charges. His next court hearing is scheduled for September 24.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast. Listen to a previous episode about the Heather Gumina case.
[Feature Photo: Heather Gumina Waters: Handout]
