Edward DeShawn Eppes, 29, of Saxe, was indicted for involuntary manslaughter by a Charlotte County Grand Jury on June 8, after his 27-year-old girlfriend Karen Goode was found dead on Aug. 15 from a gunshot wound, according to a Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office incident report.

Involuntary manslaughter is defined as unintentionally causing the death of another person, according to the Code of Virginia.

The incident report stated the sheriff’s office responded to a call from Eppes in the Drakes Branch area, saying his girlfriend had been shot.

Results from the office’s investigation and evidence from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond led to Eppes’ indictment and eventual arrest on June 12, four days after the grand jury met, according to a report and the Virginia General District Online Case Information System.

Since his arrest, Eppes has been held in the Charlotte County Regional Jail without bond. A hearing is set for July 20 at 9:30 a.m.

Involuntary manslaughter is a class five felony, punishable by one to 10 years in jail and a potential fine up to $2,500. The maximum jail sentence can be increased to 20 years if the court believes a defendant’s actions shows reckless disregard for life.