A Utah man, aged 46, recently confessed to attempting to end the life of his terminally ill wife, claiming his intention was to alleviate her pain. DeWayne McCulla pleaded guilty to attempted manslaughter last week, admitting to choking his wife, Arenda Lee McCulla, who succumbed to breast cancer on December 21, 2021, at the age of 47.
Arenda McCulla was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, and by October 2021, the disease had metastasized to her neck, brain, lungs, and liver, rendering her condition terminal. This information was shared by her son on a GoFundMe page. Consequently, she was placed under hospice care at her residence in La Verkin, a small town in southwestern Utah.
On the eve of her death, DeWayne McCulla, their son, and other family members were at her bedside. It was then that DeWayne began choking her, allegedly to hasten her death and alleviate her suffering, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit. Family members intervened, pulling him away as she struggled for breath. She passed away the following day.
The La Verkin Police Department initiated an investigation after the victim’s adult son lodged a complaint accusing his stepfather of choking his mother. The account was corroborated by other family members during the investigation. In a subsequent phone conversation with the police, DeWayne admitted to the act.
According to the detectives, DeWayne confessed that he had pressed his hand against her neck, near her carotid artery, with just enough force to expedite her death and alleviate her suffering. He expressed that he would repeat his actions, citing his love for his wife as the reason.
Initially, DeWayne McCulla was charged with attempted murder, a first-degree felony that carries a potential life sentence, in December. However, he pleaded down to attempted manslaughter and now faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for December.
Arenda McCulla’s son expressed his opposition to the plea deal in an interview with Salt Lake City NBC affiliate KSL. He plans to address the court during the sentencing hearing.