A Phoenix man charged with killing his wife told police she had "become a burden" after suffering a stroke, authorities said.
Police arrested 45-year-old Jonathan Conaway on suspicion of first-degree murder Monday after he called 911 and said his wife was dead, media outlets report.
Police responded to Conaway's home and found his wife, 43-year-old Janice Conaway, lying on a couch with a wrench and belt nearby, the Arizona Republic reported, citing court records. Jonathan Conaway later told police he struck his wife with the wrench and strangled her with the belt, the newspaper reported.
Janice Conaway was pronounced dead at the scene.
The couple had two sons who were not home at the time.
Jonathan Conaway told police he had recently lost his job, and he and his wife were battling personal and financial problems, records show. He told police the problems worsened after his wife suffered a stroke.
According to court documents, "Jonathan felt like a failure and viewed Janice as a burden," KNXV-TV reported.
Jonathan Conaway told police he “killed Janice so their boys did not have to take care of her and require them using a substantial amount of money,” the newspaper reported.
Jonathan Conaway remains jailed on a $1 million bond.
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