Slapp'n the wife around


Former cop allegedly strangled wife in Malta

A Saratoga County sheriff's patrol car is parked near the property where a woman was strangled in Malta.
MALTA — A former Nassau County police officer allegedly choked his wife of 46 years to death Friday night during a domestic dispute at their home, law enforcement officials said Monday.
Charles L. Wilkinson, 68, of 9 Meadow Rue Place, was arrested Sunday evening for second-degree murder in the death of Kathleen Wilkinson, 65, Saratoga County Sheriff Michael H. Zurlo said.
Zurlo said Wilkinson continued to live in the home for more than a day following the alleged murder.
Wilkinson was arraigned Sunday evening before Malta Town Justice James Fauci and sent to the Saratoga County Jail in lieu of bail.
Zurlo and District Attorney James A. Murphy III weren't commenting on the cause of death, but a felony complaint filed with the town court indicated Wilkinson choked his wife to death at about 10 p.m. Friday.
Wilkinson spoke at length with investigators, though it isn't clear whether he confessed.
Murphy said police continue to investigate to determine a motive.
Wilkinson retired from the Nassau County Police Department in 1984, Murphy said, and then worked as a painter. The couple moved to Malta about a decade ago. Wilkinson had worked recently as a part-time security officer at the nearby GlobalFoundries computer chip plant.
Responding to a request to check Kathleen Wilkinson's welfare, Zurlo said Deputy Sean Lyons went to the home in the quiet Luther Forest housing development about 10:30 a.m. Sunday. He said an adult son who lives in the Boston area asked for a check at the request of a sister-in-law who lives in the Capital Region. Wilkinson "had not been heard from in several days," the sheriff's department said.
"The responding deputy was greeted at the door by Charles Wilkinson. After a period of discussion at the door Charles Wilkinson allowed the deputy to enter the residence at which time the deputy located the body of Kathleen Wilkinson deceased on the floor of a first-floor bedroom," the sheriff's statement continued.
The cause of death wasn't immediately obvious, Murphy said. More may be learned after an autopsy scheduled for Monday afternoon was performed at Albany Medical Center.
A felony complaint filed by a sheriff's investigator in Malta town court said: "Charles L. Wilkinson did choke the victim," and gives the time as 10 p.m. Friday.
Murphy said investigators will be especially careful in preparing the case, given that Wilkinson is a former law enforcement officer.
"Any time we have a former law enforcement official it's particularly difficult," Murphy said at a press conference. "We are confident we will sustain our burden of proof."
There was no history of prior domestic violence calls to police from the home, Murphy and Zurlo said.
Second-degree murder carries a potential penalty of 25 years to life in prison.
Murphy said the case will be presented to a grand jury once all autopsy and toxicology test results are in.
Kathleen Wilkinson worked as a teachers' aide on Long Island, but hadn't worked since the couple moved to Malta.
As state police forensic investigators continued to remove evidence from the home Monday morning, a Jeep sitting in the driveway had four flat tires. Zurlo and Murphy said they didn't know whether the flat tires had anything to do with the crime or actions leading up to it. "I think investigators are curious about that as well," Murphy said.
About a month ago, the Jeep hit the mailbox cluster on the opposite side of Meadow Rue Place, with state police investigating.
This weekend's alleged killing came just two weeks after Saratoga County's last murder case, which also appeared to be related to domestic violence.
In that case, Schuylerville High School student Matthew J. Brown, 18, was charged with second-degree murder for allegedly stabbing Derick K. Clark, 32, in the neck during a violent altercation between Clark and the teen's mother and fiance, 34-year-old Heather Brown, at their home in Schuylerville. A self-defense claim is being made in that case.
Two murder arrests so close together is unusual in Saratoga County, which has a generally low crime rate and can go a full year without a murder taking place.



Deputy on leave after abuse arrest
TERRY L. JONES
NEW ROADS — A Pointe Coupee Sheriff’s deputy was suspended Tuesday after he was arrested the night before for allegedly choking his wife during an argument.
Stephen Louis, 32, 607 Railroad Ave., was booked Monday night into the Pointe Coupee Parish Jail on a count of second-degree battery by domestic violence after his wife filed a complaint against him with the New Roads Police Department.
Chief Kevin McDonald said Tuesday his officers were called to the couple’s house around 11:15 p.m. Monday.
“The officers said she had some red markings around her neck,” McDonald said.
The couple had been shouting at one another when Louis started choking his wife. Louis, who had just gotten off duty from work, was still in uniform, McDonald said.
The chief said it wasn’t the first time officers had to respond to a domestic disturbance involving the couple, but he declined to release more details.
Louis, a deputy with the Pointe Coupee Sheriff’s Office for approximately a year, was placed on administrative leave without pay pending a review of city police investigation, Sheriff Bud Torres said Tuesday morning.
“As a police officer you are supposed to be a peace officer and you should practice that at home, too,” Torres said. “It’s an unfortunate issue. But it’s something we won’t tolerate.”
Judy Benitez, executive director of the Iris Domestic Violence Center in Baton Rouge, which offers shelter and services to abused women in nine parishes, including Pointe Coupee, said domestic abuse is not more common among law enforcement officers.
“It does seem like this type of incident is occurring more and more with cops but that’s because when it does, it tends to make the news,” Benitez said. “I’m not aware of any statistics that claim this happens any more frequently than it does with any other profession. It’s just something we tend to hear about because its the opposite of what we think would happen (with a law enforcement officer).”
Louis makes the fourth deputy this year Torres has suspended.
The sheriff suspended three deputies in April because they did not follow proper protocol when they responded to a single-vehicle crash involving a New Roads police officer.
The Louisiana State Police had launched a probe into the incident after witnesses complained the deputies didn’t ticket or arrest the police officer who was suspected of driving under the influence at the time of the crash.




Normal officer charged with domestic battery resigns
Edith Brady-Lunny

criminal charges alleging domesti… Read more
NORMAL — A Normal police lieutenant charged with domestic battery has resigned his post.
Daniel Kelley was put on administrative leave following a Feb. 22 incident at his Lexington home. Kelley's resignation ends the internal investigation by the department into his off-duty conduct.
Criminal charges filed March 6 accuse Kelley of allegedly pushing a woman to the ground and causing bruises by hitting her.
In a statement Monday, Normal police administration said "the investigation has concluded and Lt. Kelley has resigned."  NPD refused to release the date or any other detail of the resignation.
Kelley did not attend a hearing in McLean County Circuit Court on Monday on the domestic battery charge. His lawyer, Stephanie Wong, told Associate Judge Michael Stroh that "there's continuing discussion" between the defense and special prosecutor Lorinda Lamken.
Wong did not disclose the specific of the talks. She asked for one more pre-trial hearing, set for July 2.
Kelley remains free on $325 bond. As part of his release, he was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim.
The criminal investigation was handled by the McLean County Sheriff's Department that has jurisdiction over the area where the incident took place.  The 41-year-old officer turned himself in to authorities after charges were filed.