Man shot girlfriend after wrapping Christmas presents, fighting all night: Court documents

A Lincoln man shot his girlfriend Christmas morning, putting an end to an hourslong argument that continued even as they wrapped their presents, according to court documents. 

Javaghn D. Waples (also spelled Javaughn) was arrested Christmas morning and charged with attempted murder for shooting his girlfriend, state police said. The couple's children, ages 12 and 15, were in the next room, according to court documents. 

The girlfriend told police that she and Waples started arguing on Christmas Eve, according to court documents. She told Waples she was ending their on-and-off-again relationship and he became upset, court documents said. 

Delaware man shoots girlfriend after Christmas morning argument, police say

Waples told his girlfriend that if he couldn't have her, no one else could, according to court documents. He also threatened to "shoot the house up." 

The couple, who had been drinking and smoking marijuana, continued to argue as they wrapped their Christmas presents, court documents said. Later, they went to Royal Farms, then came back home, where they continued drinking and smoking weed, court documents said. 

The woman told police that she and Waples attempted to go to sleep at some point but kept arguing, court documents said. Early on Christmas morning, she got out of bed to get a blanket because she was cold, according to court documents. 

She flipped on the lights and saw Waples pointing a gun at her. It was about 7:40 a.m. 

Waples fired the weapon, hitting his girlfriend in the upper torso, according to court documents. He subsequently shot himself, too, police said. 

They were both taken to Milford Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. 

Waples denied that he and his girlfriend spent the night fighting, according to court documents. He told police he was just moving the gun, which he had in bed with him, when it accidentally went off, court documents said. 

Waples could not tell police what happened to the gun afterward. He claimed to have left it in the bed, but officers did not find it while examining the crime scene. 

Medical staff at the hospital told police the bullet struck the girlfriend's right side, hitting a lung before exiting through the back, court documents said. Waples was shot through his right hand and had several broken bones, according to court documents. 

Waples has been living with his girlfriend in a house in the 19000 block of Pine Street in Lincoln for about seven months, according to court documents. 

After he was released from the hospital, police took Waples to Troop 4 and charged him with attempted murder, first degree; possession of a deadly weapon during commission of a felony; possession of a deadly weapon by a person prohibited; terroristic threatening; and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Waples was arraigned and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a little over $1 million cash-only bond.

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Contact Jessica Bies at (302) 324-2881 or jbies@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @jessicajbies.