Elderly man kills wife because they couldn't afford her medicine

William J. Hager of Port St. Lucie, Florida is a 86 year old man who confessed to shooting his 76 year old wife, Carolyn Hager, in her sleep, because the couple could no longer afford her medications, leaving her in pain and wanting to die.

America is the only industrialized country in the world without universal health care.

Mr Hager surrendered himself to the local law and expects to go to prison.

Mr. Hager said he had killed her at 7:30 a.m. while she was asleep, according to the affidavit. He placed the gun, a Colt .32 revolver, on a dresser, went into the kitchen of their home and drank coffee. He then called his daughters to tell them what he had done before calling 911 in the afternoon.

Mr. Hager apologized to deputies for not calling them earlier in the day but said he had wanted to let his children know what had happened first.

He said that his wife had told him in the past that she wanted to die, and that he had been thinking of killing her for several days because she was in pain, the affidavit said.

Florida Man Says He Killed Sick Wife Because He Couldn't Afford Her Medicine, Sheriff Says
[Christine Hauser/New York Times]


(Thanks, Fipi Lele!)