A Colorado man with a hatchet, allegedly hitting her about 30 times including in the head, told investigators his attack was fueled by fears she was leaving him, court records show.
Leland Thomas Kintzele, 68, called 911 after the May 16 attack in Clear Creek County and pleaded with authorities to come save his wife and shoot him, according to an arrest affidavit.
Kintzele with nine counts in the attack, including first-degree attempted murder, second-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault. Kintezle allegedly tried to kill his 52-year-old wife at the couple’s home on Old Squaw Pass Road, authorities say.
Kintzele’s wife told authorities after the attack she thought her husband had hit her 30 times with the hatchet.
When sheriff’s deputies responded to Kintzele’s 911 call, they found his wife in a pool of her own blood and Kintzele suffering from a self-inflicted stab wound to his chest near his heart, the court document says.
“Guys, please kill me,” Kintzele said to first responders, the affidavit said.
Kintzele told investigators he and his wife had been having marital problems for about three weeks leading up to the attack, the affidavit said.
“(Kintzele) said he swung the hatchet at her and hit her in the back of the head,” according to the affidavit. “He said she was still conscious and she pled with him to stop.”
In a hospital interview, Kintzele said the attack was fueled by a phone call from his wife that he overhead discussing her plans to file for divorce.
Kintzele’s wife was flown by helicopter to a hospital for treatment.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or twitter.com/JesseAPaul
