Police: Man strangled sick woman because he couldn’t afford her care

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (Court TV) – A Missouri man allegedly strangled his sick wife because he could no longer care for her, according to court documents obtained by Court TV.

Ronnie Wiggs was arrested Friday and charged with second-degree murder. Authorities say Wiggs “suffocated” his wife as she lay in a hospital bed. A “Code Blue” was called and medical personnel were able to regain her pulse, but she had no brain activity, a probable cause statement said. The victim was in the hospital getting a new dialysis connection.

Ronnie Wiggs (Independence Police Department)

Wiggs fled the hospital but later returned with a witness, who was the victim’s son. Authorities say Wiggs confessed to the witness and a nurse that he killed his wife. Wiggs was initially arrested for first-degree domestic violence because his wife had not been pronounced dead at the time.

Authorities say Wiggs admitted to an investigator that he “killed the victim by choking him and covering his mouth and nose to stop him from screaming.” He also admitted that it was not the first time he had tried to kill his wife, the last time he was in a rehabilitation facility.

“The defendant stated that he was depressed and killed the victim because he could no longer care for her and pay the medical bills she incurred,” a probable cause statement said.

The victim was pronounced dead on Saturday. Wiggs made his first appearance on Monday. He is currently being held on a $250,000 bond.