An 80-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly murdering his wife with a hammer inside their apartment at a Maryland retirement community, in what officials are calling a tragic and deeply disturbing case.
Police say Beverly Fletcher, 78, was found dead inside her unit at Leisure World, a senior living community in Montgomery County. Her body showed signs of stab wounds and possible blunt force trauma, according to a news release from the Montgomery County Police Department.
Her husband, Vivian Stewart Nation, was also found in the apartment and taken into custody. He has been charged with first-degree murder.
According to charging documents cited by WTOP, WUSA, and DC News Now, investigators found a bloody hammer and screwdriver at the scene. Nation allegedly told police that the attack stemmed from an argument he and his wife had over his doctor. The dispute allegedly turned physical, and Nation claimed Fletcher fell to the ground. He then admitted to pushing the hammer against her throat, the documents allege.
Prosecutors say the couple had been married for 13 years.
Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy acknowledged the complexity of the case, telling reporters, “We’re dealing with a gentleman who’s been dealing with some cognitive challenges in recent years and this happens.”
Nation has undergone a cognitive evaluation, and public defender Sean Mukherjee said more may be at play than just a domestic argument gone wrong. “Mr. Nation has lived 80 years without any record of serious or violent crimes; something more is clearly going on here,” Mukherjee told WUSA.
As of now, it is unclear whether Nation has entered a plea. He remains in custody while the investigation continues.
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Author: thedailycrime1
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