Cops: Man, 86, Fatally Shoots Sick Wife Because They Could No Longer Afford Medication
(INSIDE EDITION) An elderly Florida man allegedly shot his wife to death then told police he did it because she was sick and they could no longer afford her medication.
St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived to the home of William Hager, 86, Monday afternoon after a 911 call was made regarding a verbal dispute, according to an arrest affidavit.
Authorities say Hager was on the phone when they arrived. He invited the deputies into the house and told them, "I have bad news."
When asked what the bad news was, police say Hager told them, "I shot my wife at 7:30 this morning."
After police say they confirmed with Hager that he'd used a gun, he was checked for weapons and handcuffed.
While sitting in the police car, Hager allegedly explained, "I want to apologize I didn't call earlier, I wanted to tell my kids what happened first."
The heartbreak continued to unfold as police discovered the body of Carolyn Hager, 78, propped up in bed with a bullet wound to the head and a large pool of blood beneath her.
Hager told police he'd shot his wife while she slept because she was in poor health and the couple could no longer afford her medication, according to the affidavit.
He'd been thinking of killing his wife for several days because she was in pain, Hager allegedly told police. Although she'd told him she wanted to die, Hager told police his wife had never asked him explicitly to kill her, the affidavit reads.
Hager was booked on first degree premeditated murder at the St. Lucie County Jail.
For more from INSIDE EDITION, please click here.