Caba Pleads Innocent In Husband’s Murder

A woman accused of shooting her husband in the heart pleaded not guilty to second degree murder Friday.

Kootenai County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Darlene Caba after her husband, Jim, was found dead at the couple’s Beauty Bay Road home on Dec. 15. He had been shot in the chest with a revolver.

Caba admits shooting her husband. But at her preliminary hearing in March, Caba’s attorney argued that she was merely trying to protect herself from an abusive husband who had threatened her with a knife.

But authorities say Caba’s husband was a small, sickly man who could barely walk upright, much less attack a woman twice his body weight.

Darlene Caba also claims the gun accidentally went off.

If convicted of second degree murder, Caba could face up to life in prison.

The 49-year-old housewife has remained in jail on $100,000 bail since she was charged with the murder.

But on Friday, 1st District Judge Gary Haman called Caba’s bail excessive and reduced it to $10,000.