Florida man allegedly tries to kill wife of 60 years twice, tells deputies he doesn’t want her to be alone

By Averi Kremposky

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    MARION COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — A 93-year-old Marion County man was arrested last weekend after deputies say he tried to kill his wife for the second time this month.

Helmut Lockner was arrested in his home on Oct. 26 and is facing two counts of attempted first-degree murder (premeditated).

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by WESH 2, Lockner’s wife called 911 after she said her husband came up from behind her, wrapped a rope around her neck and pulled back so hard “she felt like her blood circulation was being cut off.”

While things turned violent in the afternoon, Lockner’s wife said the morning started normally for the couple, who have been married and living together for 60 years. According to the affidavit, the woman said she and her husband were sitting in separate chairs watching TV before the incident.

The woman said Lockner kept mentioning he was in pain and “wanted to die” but added this was something the man said frequently, the affidavit says. According to the woman, it was also common for her husband to get up and pace the living room, so she didn’t pay attention to him when he got up and went behind her chair.

That’s when Lockner’s wife said she felt something go around her neck and realized her husband was trying to strangle her.

According to deputies, the woman was able to get a hand between the rope and her neck but still had bruising, redness and abrasions along her neck and chin. Once she escaped, she was able to call 911 from a safe location.

The 911 dispatcher could hear Lockner saying, “You can die with me,” the affidavit states.

In her interview, Lockner’s wife said the man had also attempted to suffocate her with a pillow two weeks earlier. As she struggled to breathe, the woman said Lockner stated he “did not want to leave the woman alone.”

She was eventually able to get Lockner to stop and told deputies she didn’t think he would try to hurt her again.

In an interview with Lockner, the man told deputies he was dying and did not want to leave his wife alone. According to the man, his plan was to kill his wife before taking his own life.

After his arrest, Locker was transported to the hospital for medical evaluation and then to the Marion County Jail. Deputies have requested that the man be held without bond.

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