Man, 80, who claimed suicide pact charged with killing wife
BELLE VERNON, Pa. -- An 80-year-old Pennsylvania man who told police he had a suicide pact with his wife has been charged with killing her.
Rostraver police found 82-year-old Wilma Jean Friday bleeding from a large neck wound at home May 22. They say Edward Friday told them the couple had a suicide pact and he cut his wife's throat because she couldn't do it herself. Police say Friday then slit his wrists and took 20 opioid painkillers but survived.
His wife died two days later.
Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck says Friday didn't assist in a suicide: "He killed her."
The defendant was discharged from a hospital last week and jailed on a criminal homicide charge.
His attorney says the case is "sad," ''complicated" and "extenuating." But he wouldn't specifically address the accusations.