Around 1:30 Thursday afternoon, Emma Jean Lightsey calmly checked in at the Perry County Courthouse.

In exchange, was handed a charge of murder.

Lightsey, the common law wife of Michael Sapp, has been wanted for questioning by authorities since Sapp’s body was found at their home on County Road 45 Tuesday morning.

Perry County Assistant District Attorney Don McMillan said she is currently being held on a &uot;no bond status&uot; at the county jail until a preliminary hearing is held at a later date.

Lightsey’s defense attorney, William &uot;Billy&uot; Faile, proclaimed her innocence, saying, &uot;She is not guilty.&uot;

Faile contends that Lightsey had been at her mother’s house in Plantersville since Tuesday and that the Alabama Bureau of Investigation and the district attorney’s office was aware of her whereabouts.

After police received a call around 9 a.m. Tuesday, Perry County deputies found Sapp, 42, shot to death and lying on the kitchen floor. Authorties claimed not to know of Lightsey’s whereabouts at the time.

At first, there were several suspects in the case according to Perry County Sheriff James Hood and all were questioned about information pertaining to the investigation.

Based on information provided by neighbors, authorities said they had reason to believe that the victim was killed the night before, instead of Tuesday morning when Sapp’s body was found.

Authorities ruled Sapp’s death a homicide shortly after arriving at his place of residence. Following the investigation, his body was taken to forensics for further analysis.