An Iowa man who slit his wife's throat in what appears to be a mercy killing has been sentenced to decades in prison after pleading guilty.
As previously reported, on March 16 last year, Richard Hoesing, 76, allegedly told police that he killed his 74-year-old wife, Jean Hoesing, so he could end her suffering after years living with debilitating illnesses.
Following a guilty plea to a second-degree murder charge, on Friday, a judge sentenced him to 50 years in prison with a mandatory minimum of 35 years until he is up for parole.
On the night of March 16, 2025, Richard Hoesing called 911 and told dispatchers that he had killed his wife. Officers from the Perry Police Department responded to the call and found Jean Hoesing in the bedroom with a "severe laceration across the front of her throat."
Richard Hoesing told 911 dispatchers at the time that he "killed [his wife] to put her out of her misery," explaining that she had been suffering from bipolar disorder and multiple sclerosis. Police said Richard Hoesing was cooperative when they encountered him at the couple's home. A kitchen knife was found at the scene, and Richard Hoesing had blood on his clothes.
Police originally charged Richard Hoesing with first-degree murder. He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder to avoid a life sentence. However, the decades-long sentence handed down to Richard Hoesing essentially meant that he would spend the rest of his life in prison.
Richard and Jean Hoesing were married for 52 years and worked together at an auto parts store that they owned together. They shared a son.
