Shillong, November 6: A man in the US state of Florida has been sentenced to life in prison for the gruesome murder of his 26-year-old wife, whom he stabbed 17 times before running over her body and fleeing the scene in 2020, according to a recent report.
As per IANS, Philip Mathew entered a plea of no contest for the first-degree murder of Merin Joy, who had been planning to escape from an abusive relationship.
The horrifying incident unfolded in the parking lot of Broward Health Coral Springs hospital, where Merin Joy worked. Philip Mathew blocked her car with his vehicle, then proceeded to slash her repeatedly before driving over her body on the ground and making a quick getaway.
Witnesses at the scene described the chilling sight as Mathew driving over her “like she was a speed bump.” Despite her injuries, Merin Joy managed to reveal her attacker’s identity before succumbing to her wounds, which eventually led to Mathew’s arrest.
In addition to the murder charge, on November 3, Mathew also pleaded no contest to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. As a result, he received a life sentence in state prison with no possibility of release, along with the maximum five years for the aggravated assault charge. The decision to forego the death penalty was made due to the certainty of the life sentence and Mathew’s waiver of his right to appeal.
Joy’s family expressed relief at the conclusion of the legal process, with her cousin Joby Philip stating that Joy’s mother is glad to know her daughter’s killer will spend the rest of his life behind bars.