A Missouri man, Ronnie Wiggs, 76, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder for the death of his wife while she was in a hospital. The incident took place at Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence. According to an affidavit, Wiggs allegedly admitted to medical staff that he killed his wife by choking her. He reportedly stated that he did it because he could not afford the medical bills and could not take care of her anymore. Witnesses noticed suspicious bruising on the victim’s neck. Despite medical staff’s attempts to revive her, the victim had no brain function and passed away the following day.
Man Allegedly Strangles His Wife Because He Couldn't Pay Her Medical Bills: Court Docs via @WestJournalism https://t.co/td4iROvRuc
— WhiteNoise??HalB?? (@ObsoleteAndSane) May 8, 2024
The affidavit also revealed disturbing details, including that Wiggs had attempted to kill his wife two other times while she was hospitalized for medical issues. He admitted to trying to choke her at a rehabilitation facility and had plans to kill her again, but was unable to do so due to the monitors she was hooked up to.
Wiggs appeared in court and his case was referred to the public defender’s office. He is being held on a $250,000 bond.