A 45-year-old man from Utah is currently facing charges for allegedly attempting to end the life of his terminally ill wife while she was under hospice care, a distressing incident that occurred in the presence of her family. DeWayne McCulla, the husband, rationalized his actions, stating that he sought to "ease her suffering," and shockingly expressed that he would "do it again" if given the opportunity.
DeWayne McCulla, 45, was formally charged with attempted murder on Wednesday in connection to the incident involving his wife, Brenda Lee McCalla, who battled breast cancer since December 2021. Tragically, Arenda, aged 47, succumbed to her prolonged illness the following night.
If he is found guilty of first-degree murder, by state laws, DeWayne McCulla could potentially face up to 15 years of imprisonment.
Notably, the timing of the charges against DeWayne McCulla, filed on Wednesday, remains unclear, considering that the alleged incident took place approximately two years ago.
According to charging documents, DeWayne, on the night of the attempted murder, resorted to "choking the victim in an attempt to kill her to ease her suffering while they were with her during her terminal cancer and being on hospice." These documents highlight that six family members had to intervene, pulling the accused husband away when the ailing wife began gasping for air.
A police officer in Utah recounted the disturbing confession attributed to DeWayne McCulla, stating, "During the conversation with DeWayne McCulla, he admitted to placing his hand over the victim (Arenda's) neck in an attempt to ease her suffering as she was dying from cancer and was in hospice," according to court documents.
The police officer further revealed that family members had thwarted DeWayne's actions, pulling him away from his wife. Shockingly, DeWayne reportedly conveyed to authorities that he "would do this again because he loved his wife."
Arenda, an avid mountain biker, had been diagnosed with breast cancer that later metastasized to her brain, neck, lungs, and liver, leading to her eventual demise.
