Defendant Strangled His Wife and then Brutally Beat Her in Front of Their 17-Year-Old Daughter
A 45-year-old Lake Grove man pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted murder and other related charges for beating and strangling his wife in front of their 17-year-old daughter last year.
On May 22, 2022, at approximately 2:30 a.m., the victim was awakened when the defendant, her husband, turned the lights on in their bedroom. When the victim asked the defendant what he was doing, he became enraged and dragged her out of the bed and into the bathtub. While the victim was in the bathtub, the defendant strangled her until she lost consciousness. Their 17-year-old daughter heard the commotion and tried to get into the bathroom. (The name of the defendant has not been disclosed to protect the identity of the victim and the daughter.)
The defendant then dragged the victim into the kitchen in front of their child and held her up by her neck before banging her head repeatedly into the cabinets and countertop. The child pleaded
with the defendant to stop and attempted to call the police, but the defendant took the phone away from her and broke it. The defendant then continued to beat the victim, holding her by the neck
and throwing her across the living room.
The victim then went into the basement, but the defendant chased her again, grabbed her by the neck and slammed her into the wall. When she fell to the ground, the defendant grabbed her by her hair and repeatedly bashed her head into the cement floor as the victim drifted in and out of consciousness. The victim was finally able to run out of the house with the help of her daughter, and they ran to a neighbor’s house, where they called the police.
When the police arrived, the defendant barricaded himself in the house for five hours before law enforcement was finally able to place him under arrest. The victim was transported to the hospital, where she was treated for multiple skull fractures, loss of hearing in her right ear and bruising throughout her face and body.
On August 2, 2023, the defendant pleaded guilty before Acting Supreme Court Justice John Iliou, to one count of second-degree attempted murder and one count of first-degree assault, both Class B violent felonies; one count of first-degree strangulation, a Class C violent felony; one count of second-degree assault and one count of second-degree strangulation, both Class D violent felonies;
one count of fourth-degree criminal mischief, one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of criminal contempt in the second degree, all Class A misdemeanors.
The defendant is due back in court for sentencing on September 19, 2023.
“This defendant directed his violent rage in a horrific torrent of domestic violence,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “Thankfully, the victim and their daughter were able to escape the defendant and their home before this terrible night ended in the victim’s death.”