A Warren County woman initially charged with attempted homicide has entered a plea of guilty to simple assault with a deadly weapon.

Samantha J. Daelhousen, 32, of Tidioute, was charged April 23 with attempted homicide, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, recklessly endangering another person, and discharge of a firearm in an occupied structure.

The discharge of a firearm charge was withdrawn and a charge of attempted aggravated assault was added within days of the incident.

According to police, Daelhousen shot Matt Maloof, with whom she had a “lengthy prior relationship.”

Police said Daelhousen shot Maloof at least three times during a domestic incident that played out over several hours early Thursday, April 23.

During plea court proceedings Monday, District Attorney Rob Greene described the case as “one of the toughest I’ve had on either side of the fence.”

Greene issued a statement on Friday. “When law enforcement first got this case on April 23, 2020, the correct charge was attempted homicide and aggravated assault,” Greene said. “However, after relentless investigation to get to the truth by Trooper Jeff Osborne of the Pennsylvania State Police, the District Attorney’s Office has offered Ms. Daelhousen and she as accepted a plea to simple assault with a deadly weapon.”

“This decision to offer Ms. Daelhousen a plea was not taken lightly, however, it is the right thing to do in this case,” Greene said.

“In addition, on May 7, 2020, to ensure all parties have been investigated without conflict, the District Attorney’s Office requested the PA Attorney General to investigate Mr. Maloof, the victim in this case,” Greene said. “As of today, no charges have been filed.”

During the proceeding, Greene said Daelhousen had repeatedly asked Maloof to leave her residence during the incident and that she had that right. “She just took things too far when she shot him,” he said.

“This is a case where my client felt threatened by the actions of the alleged victim in this case who decided to show up in the middle of the night at my client’s residence unannounced and refused to leave when asked,” Daelhousen’s attorney, Rob Kinnear, said. “Although a jury could find that this was a justifiable shooting, my client chose to accept the plea agreement knowing the inherent risk involved in proceeding to trial.”