A Largo man, aged 78, has been charged with first-degree murder following the death of his wife on Monday, December 30, 2024. The victim suffered severe head injuries from what was described as a sledgehammer attack on Christmas Day. According to a news release from Tampa Bay Times, the suspect in the case is Jonathan Trumbull McPhee.
On the day of the incident, McPhee called 911 and told dispatchers he had ended his wife's life and planned to similarly bring an end to his own because of health and financial issues. "I clubbed her and I'm going to try to stab myself in the heart," McPhee reportedly said in the call. The FOX 13 News report indicates that upon their arrival, first responders found McPhee with self-inflicted stab wounds and later located his wife with significant injuries.
The injured woman was taken to a local hospital for emergency surgery but succumbed to her injuries five days later. The Largo Police Department confirmed that after the incident, McPhee's charge was escalated from attempted first-degree murder to first-degree murder, as stated in the report from ABC Action News.
During treatment for his injuries, McPhee, who is currently in critical condition, is quoted as saying, "just let me die," as reported by FOX 13 News.
Details on what led to the attack remain sparse. As the investigation proceeds, law enforcement officials continue to closely examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
