A Florida woman who was arrested in the violent and deadly attack of her husband earlier this year in West Palm Springs will spend multiple decades in prison.
62-year-old Joan P. Burke was sentenced Tuesday to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty.
She was arrested February 19 on a charge of first-degree murder after police said she stabbed 62-year-old Melvin Weller more than 140 times and bludgeoned him with a meat cleaver.
When officers arrived after the attack, they found Weller on the floor, surrounded by a pool of blood that covered more than half of the kitchen.
Officers noticed blood spatters and smears on the walls, kitchen cabinets and counters. A couple of knives and a meat cleaver were in the kitchen sink.
Police found Burke lying in bed in the master bedroom alert and conscious but remained mute. She was taken to JFK Hospital where she was evaluated before being taken to jail.
An autopsy revealed that Weller suffered more than 140 stab wounds all over his body.
Investigators said he also had a skull fracture caused by a blow from a meat cleaver to the right rear area of his head.
Weller’s stepson called 911 on Feb. 11 after he arrived to discover Weller lying in a pool of blood that covered more than half of the kitchen floor.
An autopsy revealed Weller had been stabbed 140 times and “he also had a skull fracture caused by a blow from a meat cleaver to the right rear of his head.”
In the bedroom, police discovered Burke sitting in complete silence. She had multiple cuts on her hands.
Attorney Nicole Hamil-Scott was handling divorce proceedings for Weller.
“I am out of words as to exactly how I am feeling. This did not need to happen; this could have been dealt with through the courts in the best possible way,” Hamil-Scott said.
Hamil-Scott believes millions of dollars in real estate that would have been divided in the divorce could have been a contributing factor.
“That could be one of the reasons– under Florida statute, whenever there are marital assets pursuant to the Florida law those marital assets would need to be equitably divided between the parties and certainly without getting too much into attorney-client privilege, the parties had substantial assets between themselves,” Hamil-Scott said.
Weller reportedly wanted to split the assets equally and retire to Jamaica.
“We remember Mr. Weller coming into our office — a very kind, calm, loving man. This is the last thing we would have expected from filing a dissolution of marriage,” Hamil-Scott said.
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