Man Hacks Wife to Death with Sledge Hammer, Commits Suicide

Olusegun Samuel, Yenagoa

A 43-year-old civil servant identified as Patrick Markson, has allegedly committed suicide after hacking his wife to death with a sledge hammer in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State’s capital.

The incident, which happened yesterday in the couple’s residence in Yenagoa, left many of their neighbors in shock and disbelief.

It was gathered that Markson, who was a civil servant and worked with the Yenagoa Local Government Area, allegedly hit the wife’s head with a sledge hammer while she was deep asleep and watched her bleed to death.
After watching his wife bleed to death, the man was said to have swallowed a poisonous substance suspected to be a popular insecticide called ‘sniper’.

Confirming the sad incident, the Spokesman of the Bayelsa State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, said operatives of the command have evacuated the corpses of the man and woman.

Butswat said the incident happened at Odede Street, off Tombia- Amassoma Road, Yenagoa.

He said: “Preliminary investigation reveals that one Patrick Markson ‘m’ 46 years, a native of Onopa, Yenagoa, attacked and killed his wife, Mrs. Hannah Markson ‘f’ with a hammer. Thereafter drank a poisonous substance suspected to be sniper, which led to his death.

“Photograph of the scene were taken, the hammer and bottle of the sniper were recovered as exhibits. Investigation is ongoing.”