A 76-year-old Iowa man who admitted to killing his chronically ill wife to end her suffering has been sentenced to 50 years in prison. Richard Hoesing pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after originally facing first-degree charges. The judge imposed a mandatory minimum of 35 years before parole eligibility.
Richard Hoesing of Perry, Iowa, received his sentence on Friday following a guilty plea to second-degree murder. The 76-year-old had called 911 on March 16, 2025, confessing that he slit the throat of his 74-year-old wife, Jean Hoesing, to 'put her out of her misery.' Officers found her body in their bedroom with a severe laceration across her throat, a kitchen knife nearby, and blood on Richard's clothes. He was cooperative with Perry Police Department investigators, as first reported by Law & Crime and local affiliate KCCI. Jean suffered from bipolar disorder and multiple sclerosis. The couple, married for 52 years, owned an auto parts store together and shared a son. Prosecutors initially charged first-degree murder, but Hoesing pleaded to the lesser offense to avoid life imprisonment. The 50-year term means Hoesing, at age 76, will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars.