SALT LAKE CITY (KTVX) — A Utah man is facing an attempted murder charge after he allegedly admitted to investigators that he tried to kill his terminally ill wife two years ago to ease her suffering.
DeWayne McCulla, 45, of Hurricane, was charged Wednesday with attempted murder, a first-degree felony, court documents obtained by NewsNation affiliate KTVX show.
According to an affidavit, relatives reported to police that McCulla tried to choke his wife on Dec. 20, 2021, while she was in hospice. The woman died a day later, according to her family.
The woman’s son ultimately filed a report with police in 2022 about McCulla’s actions, he explained to another local news outlet.
Investigators spoke with six witnesses, who said they pulled McCulla off of his wife after they saw her gasping for air.
In an interview with police, McCulla admitted to placing his hands on his wife’s neck to make her passing quicker. He told investigators that he would do it again “because he loved his wife,” the affidavit states.
According to the woman’s son, McCulla’s wife wanted to be transported to Oregon in order to take advantage of the state’s Death with Dignity Act.
If convicted of the first-degree attempted murder charge, he could face up to life in prison.