Saw this article in a local paper and it just caught me by suprise that they were together for over 50 years, and he said "i finally had enough"
By CINDY SCHARR,
Click to enlarge
Ernest Rayfield, left, is led into Springfield District Court for hearing. (Times Staff/Julia Wilkinson)
SPRINGFIELD ? There was a collective gasp from the crowd in district court Thursday as 88-year-old Ernest Rayfield was led into the courtroom in shackles.
Police and court officers dwarfed the tiny octogenarian as he shuffled in, casting a sideward glance at those in the packed courtroom.
Handcuffed and wearing red prison scrubs, reserved for those charged with the most serious offenses, he nodded in acknowledgement of his children and other family members before turning toward the judge.
Several of his relatives began to sob.
Rayfield is charged with murdering his 87-year-old ailing wife in their home of more than 50 years Sunday.
Sources said that Mary Rayfield was suffering from Alzheimer?s Disease and that her 88-year-old husband was her primary caregiver. What life was like for the elderly couple is unknown. But something happened on Sunday that allegedly pushed Ernest Rayfield over the edge.
It was around 11:41 a.m. when township police received a call from Rayfield?s daughter Margaret Doherty. Doherty reported that she had just received a call from her father stating that he had stabbed his wife ?because he had enough.?
Responding officer David DiTrolio found Rayfield kneeling over his wife?s bloody, lifeless body. He told the officer he had stabbed his wife ?because he had enough,? according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest. Rayfield allegedly told DiTrolio he thought his wife was dead.
The officer saw no signs of life from Mary Rayfield and noticed a stab wound to the center of her torso, the affidavit states. Her entire upper body was covered in blood and a knife was seen on the bed next to her body.
Ernest Rayfield told police that he had awakened on Sunday and asked his wife if she wanted breakfast, the affidavit states. She responded by telling him she wanted him to leave the house.
He went to the kitchen, took a knife from a drawer, then returned to the bedroom to find that his wife had calmed down, according to the affidavit. A few minutes later, Mary Rayfield again became agitated and ordered her husband out of the house, the affidavit states.
?Ernest said that he couldn?t take it anymore and stabbed her several times in the chest,? states the affidavit written by Detective James Devaney. ?Ernest stated that he covered his wife with a blanket and called his daughter, Margaret Doherty.?
In district court Thursday, Rayfield waived his preliminary hearing on charges of criminal homicide; murder; voluntary manslaughter; involuntary manslaughter and related offenses.
Scanlon asked him if he had any questions. He replied that he did not.
When the matter of bail was brought up, both O?Keefe and McDevitt agreed Rayfield would remain at the county jail without bail. Scanlon told Rayfield that his attorney and the prosecutor were ?working on negotiations? in the case.
Before he was led from the courtroom, Rayfield asked if he could say hello to his family. The judge agreed, and Rayfield turned toward his family. Approximately 12 people, men, women, young and middle aged, rose from their seats and gathered the frail, elderly man in their arms. One by one they hugged him; most had tears streaming down their faces.
?We love you dad,? said one woman. ?We?re here for you dad.?
Rayfield?s next court appearance is his formal arraignment Sept. 30 in Media.
By CINDY SCHARR,
Click to enlarge
Ernest Rayfield, left, is led into Springfield District Court for hearing. (Times Staff/Julia Wilkinson)
SPRINGFIELD ? There was a collective gasp from the crowd in district court Thursday as 88-year-old Ernest Rayfield was led into the courtroom in shackles.
Police and court officers dwarfed the tiny octogenarian as he shuffled in, casting a sideward glance at those in the packed courtroom.
Handcuffed and wearing red prison scrubs, reserved for those charged with the most serious offenses, he nodded in acknowledgement of his children and other family members before turning toward the judge.
Several of his relatives began to sob.
Rayfield is charged with murdering his 87-year-old ailing wife in their home of more than 50 years Sunday.
Sources said that Mary Rayfield was suffering from Alzheimer?s Disease and that her 88-year-old husband was her primary caregiver. What life was like for the elderly couple is unknown. But something happened on Sunday that allegedly pushed Ernest Rayfield over the edge.
It was around 11:41 a.m. when township police received a call from Rayfield?s daughter Margaret Doherty. Doherty reported that she had just received a call from her father stating that he had stabbed his wife ?because he had enough.?
Responding officer David DiTrolio found Rayfield kneeling over his wife?s bloody, lifeless body. He told the officer he had stabbed his wife ?because he had enough,? according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest. Rayfield allegedly told DiTrolio he thought his wife was dead.
The officer saw no signs of life from Mary Rayfield and noticed a stab wound to the center of her torso, the affidavit states. Her entire upper body was covered in blood and a knife was seen on the bed next to her body.
Ernest Rayfield told police that he had awakened on Sunday and asked his wife if she wanted breakfast, the affidavit states. She responded by telling him she wanted him to leave the house.
He went to the kitchen, took a knife from a drawer, then returned to the bedroom to find that his wife had calmed down, according to the affidavit. A few minutes later, Mary Rayfield again became agitated and ordered her husband out of the house, the affidavit states.
?Ernest said that he couldn?t take it anymore and stabbed her several times in the chest,? states the affidavit written by Detective James Devaney. ?Ernest stated that he covered his wife with a blanket and called his daughter, Margaret Doherty.?
In district court Thursday, Rayfield waived his preliminary hearing on charges of criminal homicide; murder; voluntary manslaughter; involuntary manslaughter and related offenses.
Scanlon asked him if he had any questions. He replied that he did not.
When the matter of bail was brought up, both O?Keefe and McDevitt agreed Rayfield would remain at the county jail without bail. Scanlon told Rayfield that his attorney and the prosecutor were ?working on negotiations? in the case.
Before he was led from the courtroom, Rayfield asked if he could say hello to his family. The judge agreed, and Rayfield turned toward his family. Approximately 12 people, men, women, young and middle aged, rose from their seats and gathered the frail, elderly man in their arms. One by one they hugged him; most had tears streaming down their faces.
?We love you dad,? said one woman. ?We?re here for you dad.?
Rayfield?s next court appearance is his formal arraignment Sept. 30 in Media.
