In a shocking incident in Pekin, Illinois, a 93-year-old man, identified as James Pate, has been accused of first-degree murder in connection with the death of his 80-year-old wife, Cheryl Pate. The incident, which took place on Tuesday, reportedly originated from a heated argument between the couple who were in the midst of divorce proceedings.
According to the Pekin Police Department, the couple’s disagreement escalated while they were in their vehicle, with James Pate driving. The argument allegedly led to a release of suppressed anger in James Pate, who later admitted to authorities that he had been holding back his rage and had reached a tipping point.
The situation turned violent when Cheryl Pate reportedly lunged at her husband, seemingly trying to scratch his face. James Pate retaliated by pushing her away and striking her, but the violence did not end there.
In a disturbing admission, James Pate told police that he pulled a knife from the center console of the car and slit his wife’s throat. When Pekin police officers arrived at the scene on South 14th Street, they discovered Cheryl Pate lying on the pavement next to the passenger side of the car, covered in blood and with a deep wound on her neck.
James Pate was also present at the scene, visibly covered in blood. He confessed to the officers that he had slashed his wife’s throat and discarded the knife in a nearby wooded area. The weapon was later retrieved by the police.
Cheryl Pate was immediately transported to a hospital in Peoria, but she was unresponsive upon arrival and was pronounced dead shortly after. The Peoria County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Cheryl Pate had sustained multiple sharp force injuries that were fatal and beyond survival.
The police affidavit stated that the cause of death was determined to be “multiple sharp force injuries of the neck.” James Pate was subsequently arrested and charged with the murder of his wife. Prior to this incident, he had no known history of violent criminal behavior.