Husband admits choking his cancer-stricken wife in hospice

by · Mail Online

A Utah husband has admitted to trying to kill his terminally ill wife after he choked her while she was in hospice care in a bid to 'ease her suffering'.

Dewayne McCulla last week pleaded guilty to attempted manslaughter for choking his late wife Arenda Lee McCulla back in December 2021, according to Law&Crime.

Arenda, 47, died on December 21 after a grueling battle with breast cancer while receiving end-of-life care in La Verkin, Utah. 

Her husband reportedly 'choked' her in front of six family members and had to be 'pulled off of her', according to charging documents obtained by KSL. 

Dewayne McCulla (left) has admitted trying to kill his terminally-ill late wife Arenda (right) in 2021 in a bid to 'ease her suffering' shortly before her death in a Utah hospice 
The couple are pictured in happier times. McCulla will be sentenced in December and faces up to 15 years behind bars 

She died the next day.

La Verkin police began investigating DeWayne after Arenda's son filed a complaint accusing his mother's husband of choking her.

When questioned by cops, DeWayne reportedly said that 'he would do this again because he loved his wife'.

Prosecutors originally charged DeWayne with attempted murder.

But he pleaded down to attempted manslaughter and could face up to 15 years behind bars when he is sentenced in December.

Arenda was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, which then returned and spread to her brain, neck, liver and lungs.

Arenda is pictured during her treatment. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, but the disease later spread 
Arenda is pictured with her son Anthony Ryder, who has blasted his stepfather's behavior during his mother's final days 

Days before her death, her son Anthony Ryder posted an update on a GoFundMe page for medical expenses, which gave a glimpse into the harrowing, 'trauma, mutilation and pain' his mother was going through.

'After having radiation in the beginning of October and 3600mg of Chemotherapy daily for two weeks on one week off it only extended her life for a few months; if you can call it living.

'Radiation burns that it caused open sores and blisters in her throat making it impossible to eat, so much so she went almost an entire week not being able to eat anything but an Ensure Shake. These are the cruelties of breast cancer.'

Speaking to DailyMail.com after McCulla's conviction, Ryder said: 'The betrayal that my mother and I endured from Dewayne McCulla runs much deeper than the legal proceedings alone. 

'In addition to attempting to murder my mother, McCulla was found in bed with my mother's sister just hours after the incident. 

'I've also submitted a notarized affidavit detailing how he committed fraud against both my mother and me, exploiting our assets.'

'My mother had explicitly expressed her desire to seek relief through Oregon's Death with Dignity Act,' he added. 

'Dewayne chose not to honor her wishes, isolating her in her final months, all while text messages reveal he was planning to leave her even before these events transpired.'

Prior to falling ill, Arenda was described as an avid mountain biker and a big part of the local community in the Hurricane and La Verkin area.

Originally from Binghampton, New York, she moved to south Utah in 2005 and volunteered at a youth rehabilitation center for many years. The McCullas married in January 2020, according to the late mom's Facebook page.

An obituary written by Ryder paid tribute to his 'first best friend.'

'We lost a wife, mother, sister, and friend. We had a wonderful best friend, side kick, and was the brightest in the room. One who never had the chance to grow old,' he wrote.