A tiny 76-year-old wife brutally beat her husband with a walking stick and waited for him to die before calling paramedics, say prosecutors in the USA.
Accused Gail Joy D’Anthony – who is just 4ft 10ins tall – laid into her 72-year-old husband after shoving him to the ground where he hit his head, according to prosecutors.
But instead of helping him she went out to get her cane and allegedly beat him so mercilessly she broke his neck and he suffered a heart attack.
It is alleged that she then calmly waited for him to die before calling paramedics to the family home in the city of Westminster, in the US state of Maryland. on 1st March,
When they got there D’Anthony – who weighs only 90lbs – told them her husband John D’Anthony III had fallen down the stairs.
But an autopsy revealed that John D’Anthony had died following a vicious beating, prosecutors allege.
The Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office said in a statement obtained by Newsflash on 23rd June: “She then left the room and returned with a cane, which she used to bludgeon John on the head, and then used the cane to prevent him from getting up.
“Gail D’Anthony entered and exited the room several times, eventually finding her husband unresponsive. She then called 911 for assistance.”
Medics found her husband had a broken neck, a broken rib and severe bruising to his arms and body.
They gave a cause of death of blunt force trauma.
When the police returned to the couple’s home – reported local media – they found he had been hit so hard that his blood had splattered up the wall.
Then they discovered a family friend who they said had admitted that D’Anthony had confessed to killing her husband.
Prosecutors say she has now been charged with first and second-degree murder.
The statement said: “On March 1, 2023, at approximately 7:38pm, Westminster Police and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel responded to a residence in the 300 block of Royer Road for the report of a cardiac arrest.
“EMS arrived and attempted lifesaving measures on 72-year-old John D’Anthony, III, but they were unsuccessful, and Mr. D’Anthony was pronounced dead.
“Thereafter, his body was transported to the Medical Examiner’s (ME) Office for further investigation.”
The prosecutors continued: “The results of the ME’s autopsy confirmed that Mr. D’Anthony suffered extensive injuries, including blunt force injuries throughout his body, including, but not limited to, lacerations to his mouth, a broken neck, a broken right rib, two black eyes, and large contusions to his hands and forearms.
“Ultimately, the ME found these injuries inconsistent with a single fall or otherwise natural death and ruled it a homicide.”
“On May 24, 2023, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit (MCU) was asked to continue the investigation.
“Evidence collected at the Royer Road address was analyzed and found to have suspected blood splatter which is believed to be consistent with the blunt force trauma injuries found on John D’Anthony.
“In June, MCU Detectives became aware of a witness with additional information, namely, that Gail D’Anthony had told the witness that she killed her husband John by pushing him to the ground where he hit his head on the floor.
“The witness’s information is consistent with the evidence found at the scene.
“After consulting with the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office, Detectives applied for and obtained a warrant for the arrest of Gail Joy D’Anthony, and she [was] arrested on June 21, 2023, in Cumberland.”
The statement also said: “D’Anthony waived a bail review today in Allegany County and is being held without bail pending transportation to the Carroll County Detention Center.”
