Woman Accused of Stabbing Her Disabled Husband 140 Times

Woman Accused of Stabbing Her Disabled Husband 140 Times

A 61 year old woman is accused of stabbing her disabled husband over 140 times, and hitting him in the head with a meat cleaver to ensure that he was dead.

Joan Burke has been arrested and charged with first degree murder in the death of her physically disabled husband in Palm Springs, Florida, who she is accused of stabbing repeatedly with a knife. No motive has been announced.

The stabbing victim, Melvin Weller, 62, was found by his stepson lying in a pool of blood that covered more than half of the kitchen. Blood was also splattered along the walls, ceiling, cabinets, and counter, WPTV reported.

The stepson, 41 year old Ricardo Green, called 911, but said that Weller had appeared to be dead when he found him.

According to police, the amount of blood combined with the widespread spatter indicates that a violent struggle had occurred.

“An autopsy revealed the victim suffered more than 140 stab wounds and a skull fracture caused by a blow to the head with a meat cleaver,” read a tweet on the incident from CNN, citing the results from an autopsy report.

Several knives and a meat cleaver were found in the kitchen sink, while cleaning supplies were sitting on the floor beside Weller’s body. Inside a tied-up plastic bag sitting atop the counter were Burke’s bloodstained nightgown and Weller’s cellphone.

When police arrived, Burke was in the master bedroom of the house. She was alert and awake but refused to speak to the officers.

According to the affidavit, Burke had lacerations on the palms of both of her hands, which is common for stabbing suspects. The Washington Examiner reports: “Repeated stabbings cause blood to get on the knife handle, which makes the weapon slippery and causes an injury to the perpetrator.”

Burke was initially taken to JFK Hospital to be evaluated. A judge in Palm Beach County later ordered her to be held without bond.

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