London man pleads guilty to murdering his wife with an axe

A husband pleaded guilty to murdering his wife with an axe three years ago. CTV London's Reta Ismail has the details.

Inside an Ontario Superior Court, a London man pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Tuesday.

In this case, the judge has issued a publication ban to protect the identities of the children.

Speaking through a Mandarin translator, the man agreed to the statement of facts presented by Crown Attorney Kristina Mildred.

She described the brutal killing by the accused on the evening of March 11, 2022, in the basement of their home on a quiet residential street in the north end of the city. Their two children were home at the time of the murder.

“They observed their father striking their mother with an axe repeatedly,” read Mildred.

The victim suffered severe injuries to her neck and died inside the home. Police arrived on scene and arrested the accused.

The court heard that in the months leading up to murder, the man accused his wife of infidelity. He believed she had an affair and claimed one of their children was not his.

Justice Perfetto said he was satisfied the facts supported the charge before court. A sentencing date has been set for May 6, where victim impact statements will be heard.