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I-Team finds John Allender's previous wives accused him of abusing them

NKY man charged with murdering third wife Tuesday
Posted at 6:30 PM, Apr 19, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-20 08:28:27-04

MENTOR, Ky. -- Is John Allender a repeat offender?

The I-Team dug through records in two states and found that the Campbell County man accused of killing his wife -- a mother of six young kids -- has a history involving domestic violence charges involving previous spouses.

Allender is in jail charged with murdering his wife at their Campbell County home Tuesday. According to police, Allender called 911 after the shooting and insisted it was self-defense.

Police said Allender told them he shot his wife Cheryl four or five times after she entered his room holding a gun. According to the police report, Cheryl’s body was found in the yard. Witnesses told police that Allender's wife didn't have time to get a gun before he shot her. It's unclear if the unnamed witnesses were any of their children.

John Allender

Less than an hour before the shooting, John Allender filed a domestic violence petition with Campbell County District Court. He claimed his wife had three guns, was mentally unstable, and posed a danger to him and their children. The judge denied his petition.

The I-Team confirmed that Allender's first and second wives had full orders of protection against him. First wife Kimberly was granted protection in 2000, when she accused him of domestic violence. (Allender, in turn, accused her of abusing him.) The second full protection order was granted to his second wife Keshaundra in 2007, when she accused him of mental and physical abuse.

"I was afraid for my life," Keshaundra Smith said of her marriage to Allender. "I was afraid of what he might do. It just started escalating near the end of the marriage."

The I-Team could not confirm if Cheryl had ever accused of Allender of domestic violence.

Allender is scheduled for a court appearance Thursday morning.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to benefit the children.

RELATED: Neighbors are worried about Allender children.