Husband, 90, jailed for 17 years for battering his 89-year-old wife to death with a hammer

By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 2:09 PM on 9th September 2010

A 90-year-old New York man who bludgeoned his 89-year-old wife to death has been jailed for 17-and-a-half years.

John Bunz battered his wife of 68 years, Virginia, 30 times on the head and arms with a hammer following a row at the retirement village flat they shared in Amherst, New York.

A relative discovered the woman's body together with Bunz, who was suffering from self-inflicted injuries after an apparent suicide attempt.

Yesterday a frail looking Bunz had to be helped to his chair in Buffalo's State Supreme Court before sentencing.

The retired chemist pleaded guilty to reduced charges of first-degree manslaughter in July.

He had faced a more serious second-degree murder charge, but prosecutors agreed to the plea because of his age.

'I'm extremely sorry about what happened,' he told State Supreme Court Justice Russell Buscaglia, who also ordered five years of 'post-release supervision' by the courts.

Defence lawyer David Steinhilber told the judge the apparent murder-suicide attempt was a 'horrible, tragic anomaly'.

The killing 'will forever' define Bunz, an otherwise good man, husband and father, Mr Steinhilber said.

Prosecutor Paul Bonanno stressed to the judge that Bunz's son and daughter had agreed to the plea deal and spoke of the 'extremely violent nature' of the attack.

Bunz had gone through court-ordered mental tests both before and after his guilty plea to ensure he was mentally fit to be sentenced.
The killer will be 112 by the time he finishes his parole.

John and Virgina Bunz had been married for 68 years

From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1310339/John-Bunz-jailed-battered-wife-death-hammer.html