Who is Ronnie Wiggs? Independence, Mo Man Kills Wife Because He Couldn't Afford Medical Bills

Ronnie Wiggs is an Independence, Missouri man who has been arrested after strangling his sick wife to death.

Wiggs confessed following his arrest that he killed his wife, who had kidney issues because he was depressed and could no longer afford her medical bills.

He has been charged with second-degree murder and is being held on $250,000 bond.

Wiggs’s wife died Saturday in the Kansas City suburb of Independence while receiving treatment at Centerpoint Medical Center. Her identity has not been released.

On Friday, while at the facility to get a new port for her dialysis, Mrs Wiggs suddenly became unresponsive, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Hospital staff were able to regain her pulse but ultimately determined declared her brain dead.

She was formally pronounced dead on Saturday and her husband left the hospital shortly thereafter.

Wiggs later returned to the medical facility with the woman’s son, where workers heard him say, “I did it, I killed her, I choked her,” according to the affidavit.

A witness later pointed out injuries on the victim’s neck that seemed suspicious, as well as a fresh wound in the middle of her throat.

Wiggs was arrested at the scene and later confessed to his wife’s murder, telling authorities that he covered her nose and mouth to keep her from screaming while he strangled her.

He added that he was depressed and couldn’t handle the caregiving and bills.

He further admitted that he had previously tried to kill his wife while she was at a rehabilitation facility, but she woke up and told him to stop.

Wiggs also said he planned other murder attempts in the past, but could not go through with them.