Shocking Crime: 81-Year-Old Man Accused of Strangling Wife for Getting Up at Night
An 81-year-old man in Tennessee has been arrested for allegedly strangling his wife with a rope in bed after she repeatedly got up during the night. The case is under investigation.
An 81-year-old man, Joseph Scrofne, has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly strangling his wife, Linda Scrofne, 80, at their home in Portland, Tennessee. The incident occurred after Linda reportedly got up several times during the night. Joseph told police that he had killed her because she was “crazy,” adding that he thought he was doing his family a “favor.”
Police were called to their home on Meadows Road, about 40 miles from Nashville, after Linda’s body was discovered. She had bruising around her neck and blood on her face. The following day, Joseph made a 911 call where he expressed suicidal thoughts. Police later found him driving toward the couple’s home and took him into custody.
During questioning, Joseph admitted to strangling Linda with a rope. He said he had intended to kill her after she repeatedly fell while getting up during the night. He also claimed that he planned to end his own life afterward but did not want to go to jail for what he did. Joseph was taken to the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office without resistance.
In a separate incident, an 88-year-old man from Florida, Miroslav Maksic, has been accused of killing his wife, Miljka Maksic, 76. Police said Miroslav staged her death to look like a suicide. He initially told authorities that Miljka had shot herself. However, when police arrived at their home in North Port, they found Miljka’s body in a pool of blood, with a gun in her hand. There was also a towel nearby, suggesting someone had tried to clean up the scene.
The police investigation revealed that the bullet wound did not match the position of the gun in Miljka’s hand, leading them to rule her death as a homicide. Miroslav was later charged with murder after his story changed during questioning. A medical examiner confirmed that the cause of death was inconsistent with Miroslav’s claims, prompting the charges against him.
