Former Delaware County Sheriff Shot

Monday, June 18th 2007, 10:46 am

By: News On 6

A former Delaware County Sheriff is in the hospital Monday night. His wife is behind bars accused of trying to kill him. The shooting happened near Colcord in Delaware County. The News On 6â€™s Ashli Sims reports a man once charged with investigating crimes in Delaware County now seems to be the victim of one.

Delaware County Sheriff's deputies responded to a shooting near Colcord Sunday evening and found their ex-boss bleeding from a gunshot wound. Former sheriff Lenden Woodruff was shot at least once in the upper torso.

"He was taken by Cherokee County EMS to a landing zone and he was life-flighted to Washington County Regional over in Fayetteville, Arkansas," said Delaware County Detective Ron Teel.

Woodruff was sheriff of Delaware County for four years, before he was forced to resign after he was arrested for driving under the influence. Detective Teel, who worked under Woodruff, says deputies were surprised to see the former sheriff shot, but he says they treated it like any other crime scene.

"Any call that comes along, we can't take into affect who somebody is or who somebody was. We have to treat every call as it is whether we know someone or not,â€ Teel said.

Deputies investigated the shooting and ended up arresting Woodruff's wife of two years, Candyce Woodruff. Teel says this wasn't the first time deputies have been called to the Woodruff home.

He says they responded to a domestic violence call at the couple's home just hours before the shooting. Candyce Woodruff was arrested and booked into the Delaware County jail for shooting with intent to kill.

She is now being held on a quarter of a million dollar bond. Detectives do not think she has a previous criminal record.

Watch the video: Former Sheriff Allegedly Shot By Wife