Dying man tries to fatally suffocate and strangle his wife of 60 years, Florida cops say

A man tried to kill his wife of 60 years twice in the span of two weeks, saying he was dying and didn’t want to leave her alone, Florida authorities said.

The 93-year-old is now charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, Marion County records show.

McClatchy News is not naming the man to avoid identifying his wife. His attorney’s name was not available in Marion County records on Oct. 28.

On Oct. 26, a woman called 911 to report that her husband tried to strangle her from behind with a rope as she was watching television, deputies wrote in an arrest affidavit.

In the background of the call, the dispatcher reported hearing him say, “You can die with me,” deputies said.

When first responders arrived, they found the woman with bruising and lines on her neck that looked like they were from strangulation, according to investigators. The woman said her husband often complains of his pain and gets up from the couch to walk around as they watch TV together, deputies said.

But that day when he got up, he’s accused of coming up behind her chair and putting a rope around her neck. The wife said she got her hand between the rope and her neck and freed herself, then she ran to the patio to call 911, deputies said.

She told them about another incident from about two weeks earlier when he tried to suffocate her with a pillow one morning in bed, according to investigators. She got him to stop and said she didn’t think he would try to kill her again, deputies said.

The husband told investigators he “is dying and did not want to leave his wife alone,” deputies wrote in the affidavit.

He was taken to a hospital for evaluation then booked in jail.

Marion County is in north central Florida, about a 90-mile drive northwest from Orlando.

This story was originally published October 28, 2024 at 4:49 PM with the headline "Dying man tries to fatally suffocate and strangle his wife of 60 years, Florida cops say."