Man Charged After Botched Murder/Suicide

"DUCHESNE, UT — A Duchesne man accused of murder allegedly told detectives he stabbed his wife to death to euthanize her and then tried to kill himself.

"The body of Mary Ratliff, 82, was found in her home Aug. 13 after a family friend received a package containing $7,000 and a suicide note from Ratliff’s husband, Charles Edward Dodd, according to murder charge filed in 8th District Court on Wednesday.

"Previously, the friend said, Dodd, 75, had been depressed and told her that `the end will come,` according to other court documents.

"Ratliff was found lying on a hospital-type bed, with a puncture wound to her chest, deputies wrote. Dodd was found unconscious in a chair in the same room. He also had a puncture wound to his chest and a cut on the back of his head, investigators wrote. A bloody hunting knife was on the table next to Ratliff’s bed.

"Dodd was taken by ambulance to the Uintah Basin Medical Center and was later flown to a Salt Lake City hospital.

"After he regained consciousness, Dodd told investigators that his wife was in constant pain, and the couple several times had discussed `ending it,` the charge states. Ratliff’s ailment is not described. Dodd said he left money for their burial along with the suicide note at their friend’s office and returned to the couple’s home, investigators wrote.

"Dodd said he waited until Ratliff was `semi asleep` and stabbed her where he thought her heart was, deputies wrote. Ratliff did not die immediately, so he stabbed her again, the charge states.

"After Ratliff died, Dodd swallowed a handful of pills, held the knife to his chest and used the wall to push the knife into his body, police wrote. He said the next thing he remembered was waking in the hospital.

"Dodd was charged with one first-degree felony charge of murder."

From The Salt Lake Tribune...