Guilty Of Killing Wife In Us, Kerala Man Receives Life Imprisonment

An Indian man has been given a life sentence in the state of Florida, US, for the brutal killing of his wife in 2020 in the hospital parking lot where she worked as a nurse. Philip Mathew, on November 3, entered a plea of no contest to the charge of first-degree murder in the case of Merin Joy.

Allegedly, his wife Joy had been attempting to flee from an abusive relationship. The plea agreement ensured that he avoided the potential of receiving the death penalty, according to the reports.

Details Of The Incident

The deceased, Merin Joy, originally from Kottayam in the Kerala region, was leaving Broward Health Coral Springs where she worked as a nurse when the incident occurred. It is important to note that the accused Philip Mathew was also from Kerala.

According to the police, Mathew trapped Joy by blocking her car with his own and brutally stabbed her 17 times. He then ran over her body on the ground with his vehicle before fleeing the scene.

According to the reports by NDTV, a colleague of hers later described the incident as Mathew running over her "as if she were a speed bump." As her coworkers hurried to help her, Joy repeatedly pleaded with them, saying, "I have a baby." Tragically, before she passed away, the police reported that she managed to disclose the identity of her assailant.

Justice Delivered But Family Mourns Loss

On November 3, Mathew entered a plea of no contest for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was promptly given a life sentence in state prison without the possibility of parole, in addition to a potential maximum of five years for the aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

As explained by Paula McMahon, the spokesperson for the State Attorney's Office, the choice to forgo the death penalty was based on the assurance of the life sentence and the fact that the defendant was relinquishing his right to appeal.

The grief and anguish of Joy's family persist as they grapple with their profound loss. Joby Philip, a cousin on Joy's side of the family, watched Friday's hearing on Zoom from where he lives in Tampa, then translated the outcome to her family.

Although Joy's mother expressed a sense of relief in learning that her daughter's murderer would spend the remainder of his life behind bars, she was also comforted by the fact that the legal proceedings had concluded.

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