Dying husband, 93, twice tried to kill wife of 60 years as he ‘did not want to leave her alone’: police

A 93-year-old Florida man allegedly confessed to twice trying to kill his wife of 60 years — because he “did not want to leave her alone” when he died, according to cops.

Helmut Lockner was arrested on Saturday after his wife said he crept up on her watching TV and tried to strangle her with some rope — weeks after he tried to smother her with a pillow, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

Lockner allegedly told detectives he planned to kill himself with the same rope, telling them that he “is dying and did not want to leave his wife alone,” according to an arrest report, which did not detail if the suspect had a terminal illness or was referring to his age.

Helmut Lockner, 93, is facing two charges of first-degree attempted murder for trying to strangle his wife. Marion county sheriff’s office

His wife, who was not identified by police, said he first attempted to kill her two weeks earlier by smothering her with a pillow in bed — telling her then that “he did not want to leave her alone,” according to the arrest report.

She managed to escape and did not report it because she was convinced he would not try to hurt her again.

Then on a “normal” Saturday, Lockner came behind his wife as she watched TV from a chair and pulled a rope around her neck — tugging hard enough “to the point she felt like her blood circulation was being cut off,” according to the police report.

His wife fought back and was able to get her hands between the rope and her neck and run into the patio, the report said.

She called 911, during which Lockner allegedly could be heard in the background saying, “You can die with me.”

Police found Lockner’s wife crying with bruises around her neck and blood pouring from her arm. Lockner was on the phone in another room. He later admitted that he was “trying to kill” his wife, the report said.

Marion County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Zach Moore said he’s never encountered a situation like this before. WCJB

“I‘ve been at the sheriff’s office for five and a half years and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Zach Moore, a sheriff’s office spokesperson, told local outlet WCJB.

“What we do know is that we’re very fortunate that this victim was able to fight him off and preserve her own life and that she’s still here with us,” he added.

Lockner’s wife said they were watching tv in their living room when he tried to strangle her. WCJB

Lockner is charged with two counts of first-degree attempted homicide. He is scheduled to appear in court on November 26, jail records show.