ROY, Utah — A man was arrested Saturday for allegedly shooting and killing his wife in Roy, claiming she asked him to do so because she was in extreme pain.
He also told police that he killed her earlier in the week but waited about four days to report it.
Dave Meyer, age 69, was booked on suspicion of murder for his wife's death, as well as other charges in connection to the incident.
Police responded to Meyer's home on Saturday after emergency dispatch indicated that he killed his wife. Officers took him into custody without incident, then while sweeping the home, they found a woman who was dead. The victim was confirmed as his wife, 62-year-old Suzanne Meyer.
Meyer agreed to speak with police after being informed of his Miranda rights, according to the arrest report. He said his wife had been in pain for 11 years because of a car accident, and he had watched her suffer from back pain and nerve damage for many years. He claimed that she had been "asking him to kill her for a while now due to the amount of pain she has been in."
Meyer explained to investigators that he was rubbing his wife's back one day when he saw his 9mm handgun on the dresser, and he shot her in the head. Police said he couldn't recall exactly what day this occurred, but they believe it was Tuesday.
Meyer said he then left her body in the room for several days before reporting the incident.
He was booked and ordered to be held without bail, facing charges of 1st-degree felony murder and 2nd-degree felony obstruction of justice for waiting several days to report his wife's death.
He also told police that he and his wife used marijuana every night for the past 10 years. Neither of them had medical marijuana cards. Police said this meant he was restricted from possessing firearms, so he also faces two charges of illegal firearm possession. He told police he owned another handgun in addition to the one he allegedly used to kill his wife.
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Resources for domestic violence victims/prevention (free, 24/7, confidential):
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition:
- Hotline: 1-800-897-LINK (5465)
- Online help: udvc.org
- National Domestic Violence Hotline
- 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- Online live chat: thehotline.org
- If you or someone else is in immediate danger, or in an emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately.
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For those struggling with thoughts of suicide, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can now be reached by simply dialing 988 any time for free support. Resources are also available online at utahsuicideprevention.org.
