A US man has been charged with second-degree murder after he strangled his wife to death at a hospital. The husband, Ronnie Wiggs, told the police that he couldn't afford her medical bills. The incident occurred around 11:30 pm on Friday at the Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence, Missouri.
The hospital staff contacted an off-duty police officer following an alleged assault on a patient in the ICU. The victim, identified only as a female, was receiving a new port for dialysis, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, KCTV reported.
Prosecutors alleged that while the woman was in her hospital bed, Ronnie Wiggs began choking her. He also reportedly covered her mouth and nose to prevent her from calling for help, prosecutors said.
After the police arrived, the victim was unresponsive and had no pulse, according to court records, but she was still put on life support, Fox reported. She was later taken off life support after no signs of brain function.
The hospital staff reportedly overheard Mr Wiggs confessing to killing her. "I did it. I killed her. I choked her," he said, according to court records obtained by Fox.
Mr Wiggs was arrested for first-degree domestic assault and taken into custody by the Independence Police Department. During questioning, he confessed that his wife was undergoing a procedure to receive a new dialysis port. He also told the police that he covered his wife's nose and mouth to stop her from screaming and put his thumbs on her throat.
He admitted he was struggling financially and battling depression, as a result of which he decided to kill his wife, reported Fox.
Mr Wiggs also confessed that he had attempted to kill her twice during past hospital and rehabilitation visits.
He is now charged with second-degree murder and held on a $250,000 bond.
