84-year-old Pennsylvania man accused of beating his wife to death in a fight over their cat

An elderly Pennsylvania man is accused of beating his wife to death during an argument over their cat.

Barton Seltmann, 84, called 911 around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday to report that someone had ransacked his Lower Pottsgrove home and that his wife appeared dead after the intruder “beat her,” according to an affidavit. obtained by NBC Philadelphia.

First responders found Margaret Seltmann, 85, on the kitchen floor “obviously deceased” from blunt force injuries to the head, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

Her husband was on the back porch, with “blood on his hands, face and clothing,” the district attorney’s office explained.

The octogenarian later told police in interviews that he and his wife were fighting over money for their cat’s veterinary care, according to the affidavit.

Barton Seltmann is charged with first- and third-degree murder. Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office

The argument became physical and Margaret Seltmann grabbed a knife and threatened to kill her husband, she allegedly told her interviewers.

He then grabbed a chair and pushed his wife’s legs, who fell and hit her head on the floor, he told investigators. He then punched her repeatedly and hit her in the head with a candelabra, according to her affidavit.

Margaret allegedly warned her husband “You’re killing me” and then “went to sleep,” the probable cause affidavit said.

Margaret Seltmann was found beaten to death in her backyard on Tuesday. Family pamphlet Seltmann’s husband was on the back porch, with “blood on his hands, face and clothing,” the district attorney’s office explained. WPVI

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Investigators found a small kitchen knife and glass shards from a candle jar under the woman’s body, the outlet noted.

Seltmann was later charged with first- and third-degree murder and sent to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility without bond, online records show.

He has not requested a public defender.

Their cat is now being cared for by a family member, the district attorney’s office confirmed in a Facebook comment.

Barton and Margaret Seltmann got into a fight at their home, the latter told police. WPVI

The suspect may have been experiencing memory loss in the weeks before the murder, and his wife had even expressed concern that he was suffering from dementia, family members told WPVI-TV.

“In the last five or six weeks, Margaret said she was suffering from dementia and couldn’t remember things. Like he was going somewhere, she didn’t remember where she was or stuff and she was worried about that,” explained Sandy Seltmann, Barton’s sister-in-law.

Barton’s brother, Ron Seltmann, said Margaret and Barton seemed happy and had been married for more than 30 years.

Barton’s brother, Ron, and his wife, Sandy, are shocked by the crime. WPVI

Barton even built his Lower Pottsville home from scratch, he told the outlet.

“There was no warning that this kind of thing could happen. None. This just drove us apart,” Ron lamented.

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Source: vtt.edu.vn

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