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The protection order, signed by a ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ County judge, required Zachary Childs “not commit or threaten to commit domestic violence, stalking, molesting, (and) sexual assaultâ€� against his wife, Stephanie Childs. He had filed for divorce in December after 13 years of marriage, according to court documents.

Childs was charged Sunday with murder, burglary and armed criminal action after authorities say he killed a woman during a domestic incident. He and his wife, Stephanie Childs, own the Ballwin home where the killing happened, in the 100 block of Spring Leigh Court.

Police have not identified the woman killed, but Stephanie Childs’ family in Texas confirmed Monday she had died. The family did not comment further.

The house sits on a hilly cul-de-sac lined with manicured yards and large homes. Police responded there around 1 a.m. Sunday and found the woman shot in the head. She died at a hospital.

Police said Zachardy Childs ran from the scene and was found by officers Sunday afternoon “wandering in a nearby creek.�

He remained in jail on Monday.

In his divorce petition, Zachary Childs said he and his wife had separated but were still living together with their one child, who is a minor. He cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the divorce.

A month later, Zachary Childs wrote in a court document he was no longer living at the house.

He argued in court documents that the two should share custody of the child but that his wife should be ordered to pay child support because he is unable to support himself financially.

He also wrote that the court should consider the “mental and emotional abuse� Stephanie Childs inflicted on him when determining custody arrangements and monetary divisions.

Stephanie Childs, in her response petition, disagreed that her husband could not support himself without her help. She also did not think the two should share custody of their child and denied his claims of abuse.

The case was ongoing. Stephanie Childs’ lawyer, Jonathan Marks, did not immediately return a call for comment on the case.

The protection order was filed Feb. 7 and ordered Zachary Childs to communicate only through the court’s communication program, which is often used to maintain a record of interactions between parents in custody cases.

Court documents said the family moved to Ballwin from Plano, Texas, in October 2021.