An Arizona man acknowledged to authorities he shot his wife over the weekend because he believed it would stop years worth of her “pain and suffering.
Michael Gelleny, 67, was detained on Saturday evening at his house in Goodyear after phoning the police, the day after he reportedly shot his wife.
In a post-arrest interview, the 67-year-old said his wife Brenda “had been in pain and suffering for over four years and he decided to end her life,” a plan he had been mulling for weeks.
The morning of the killing, Gelleny stated he loaded a gun before Brenda got up.
while she woke up, he kissed her, told her he loved her, and shot her in the head while she wasn’t looking as she walked down a hallway, according to the court filings, which the Arizona Republic and other local publications obtained.
Gelleny then carried her into a bedroom and wiped up a trail of blood, according to authorities.
On July 6, Gelleny, who told detectives he considered killing himself, informed police of the shooting and turned himself in instead.
He was caught later that day and placed in Maricopa County jail on one count of first-degree murder and one count of tampering with physical evidence.
During a police investigation of the Arizona man’s residence, authorities uncovered a note outlining the shooting and instructions to take care of Gelleny’s cat.
His bond has been set at $1m and his next court appearance is Friday, independent reported.
