Man strangles wife, begins planning funeral, cops allege
A VICTORIAN man strangled his wife to death because “he would rather see her dead than let her take half of everything”, police allege.
A VICTORIAN man allegedly strangled his wife to death and then apologised to his mother for having stained the family name.
David Whitelegg is accused of murdering Anne Whitelegg on September 18 last year.
Three days later, police went to the couple’s home in Wallan, a town about 50km from Melbourne, after Whitelegg allegedly phoned a funeral director and said his wife had died unexpectedly.
They found Ms Whitelegg on the kitchen floor with obvious marks on her neck, police documents before the Melbourne Magistrates Court say.
Mr Whitelegg allegedly told officers he had found her dead in the garage and dragged her into the kitchen.
In a later statement, he said Ms Whitelegg had left their home after an argument a couple of days earlier and he had not seen her again until discovering her body.
Autopsy results show she was drunk when she died.
Police say the couple had an unhappy marriage and Mr Whitelegg controlled their finances.
Ms Whitelegg allegedly told him she would get half of everything, in the weeks leading up to her death.
“He replied that he would rather see her dead than let her take half of everything,” police say, in court documents tendered on Monday.
Mr Whitelegg allegedly began organising his affairs in the hours after his wife’s death, including giving his beloved cat to the RSPCA.
Police say he transferred $100,000 to his mother’s bank account in England.
Mr Whitelegg also allegedly wrote his mother a letter, claiming responsibility for his wife’s death and apologising for having “stained the family name”.
He is also accused of writing to his solicitor, stating he left all assets to his mother and arranging his wife’s funeral — including music and what words should appear on the headstone.
Mr Whitelegg mailed the letters and then tried to take his own life, police say.
He is fronting a committal hearing, which continues on Monday afternoon.
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