Indian Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Brutal Murder of Wife in the US

An Indian man has been sentenced to life in prison in Florida for the brutal murder of his wife in 2020. The incident took place in the parking lot of a hospital where the victim, Merin Joy, worked as a nurse. Philip Mathew, the perpetrator, pleaded no contest to first-degree murder, sparing him from the possibility of a death sentence.

According to The Sun Sentinel newspaper, Joy, who was planning to escape from an abusive relationship, was stabbed 17 times by Mathew. He blocked her car with his vehicle, repeatedly slashed her, and then drove over her body before fleeing the scene. Witnesses described the horrifying act, with one colleague stating that Mathew drove over Joy “like she was a speed bump.” Despite her injuries, Joy managed to reveal her attacker’s identity before succumbing to her wounds.

In addition to the murder charge, Mathew also pleaded no contest to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. As a result, he was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole, as well as a maximum of five years for the aggravated assault charge. The decision to forgo the death penalty was based on the certainty of the life sentence and Mathew’s decision to waive his right to appeal, according to Paula McMahon, spokeswoman for the State Attorney’s Office.

The family of the victim continues to grieve their immense loss. Joy’s mother expressed relief that her daughter’s killer would spend the rest of his life behind bars and that the legal process has concluded.

(Note: This article is based on a syndicated feed and has not been edited by NDTV staff, except for the headline.)