An elderly Missouri man is behind bars after confessing to murdering his ailing wife because he didn’t want to pay her medical expenses anymore, according to records.
Ronnie Wiggs, of Independence, allegedly covered his wife’s mouth as she lay in a hospital bed before squeezing the life out of her with his hands around her throat, according to court documents obtained by FOX4.
His wife, unnamed in court documents, was staying at the Centerpoint Medical Center to get a dialysis port replaced on Friday night when officers were called to her ward over reports of an assault.
She had been found in her bed unresponsive and without a pulse, while witnesses reported she had “suspicious” markings on her neck.
Wiggs, whose age was reported by local media as 75 or 76, was nowhere to be found at first, having fled the hospital, but he later returned and reportedly was heard confessing to the murder.
“I did it, I killed her, I choked her,” Wiggs was heard saying by hospital staff, court records showed.
Still barely alive after the attack, Wigg’s wife was treated until she was declared dead.
Wiggs, meanwhile, was detained by police where he again admitted to the killing, explaining how he covered her mouth to quiet her screams, then strangled her to death with his hands.
It was only the latest attempt on his wife’s life — during questioning, Wiggs confessed to trying to off her during two previous hospital stays.
Wiggs claimed he was depressed and wanted his wife dead because he couldn’t keep up with her medical bills any longer.
He is being held on $250,000 bond.
