Man Ended Up Killing Wife After Breaking No-Contact Order To Meet Her In Secret

A man fatally strangled his wife after she accused him of raping her and cuddled her limp body after her death, a court has heard.

A 53-year-old man in Newzealand accused of murdering his newlywed wife last year appeared in court on trial Wednesday. Rodney Fallowfield of Balclutha admitted that he strangled his wife Shirley Reedy at a motel on May 15, 2020.

Although Fallowfield admitted that he strangled his wife, he claims that he had never intended to do so, Otago Daily Times reported.

After Reedy was strangled, Fallowfield did not attempt to resuscitate her. Instead, he picked up his wife's limp body, tucked her in bed, and cuddled her, the court heard.

During a police interrogation a day after Reedy's death, Fallowfield claimed that his wife was schizophrenic and had previously accused him of raping her. He told the investigators that he was on a no-contact order with Reedy due to the rape allegations but used to secretly meet her.

During the couple's getaway at the motel in May 2020, Reedy reportedly told Fallowfield that she was going to accuse him of rape again. Fallowfield told the police that he was upset with that and the word "rape" triggered him. "I just wanted her to be quiet. I don’t like the evil word rape. I just wanted her to be quiet," Fallowfield said.

"The whole rape thing made me feel icky,” he told the police, as reported by Stuff.

A witness who appeared in court said Fallowfield had called her just after Reedy's death. The woman whose name has not been revealed told the court that Fallowfield sounded frantic and was crying on the phone. When the woman asked him to perform CPR on Reedy he said, "It's gone its too late, she’s gone," the woman told the court.

The witness also said Fallowfield drove to her house after the incident and appeared to be an "emotional mess." She also told the court that he had blood on his fingers and an abrasion on his face.

The court continues Fallowfield's trial Thursday.