Louisville man charged with reckless homicide after shooting woman inside home, victim identified

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville man has been charged with reckless homicide after accidentally firing a gun that killed a woman inside a home, according to court documents.

Charles Webster, 43, was arrested on Saturday and charged with reckless homicide in the death of the woman identified by Jefferson County Coroner's Office as 44-year-old Gwendolyn Smith.

According to an arrest report, Louisville Metro Police responded to the Cambridge Drive in the Southside neighborhood on a reported overdose around 5 p.m. on Friday. EMS took Smith to Audubon Hospital, where she died.

An autopsy on Saturday revealed Smith had been shot in the chest. LMPD executed a search warrant at the house where she had been found.

Webster told investigators he was holding a handgun in the basement and accidentally fired it. The gunshot went through the ceiling and hit the victim, who was in the room above.

Police said a witness also inside the home went downstairs after the gunshot and Webster was holding the gun.

Webster will be arraigned Monday.