Robert Alexander has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years after murdering his wife, Christina Alexander, by stabbing her 77 times and striking her with a dog food can.
The 66-year-old attacked the retired nurse, 60, at their home in Tamworth on June 23 last year as she attempted to leave their six-year marriage.
The court heard Alexander had subjected Christina to controlling and coercive behaviour and sustained violence.
She had previously reported living under “constant physical threat” and told her sister, “I’ll probably be dead before then” when discussing plans to leave him.
Alexander had twice self-harmed in the days before the murder, in what prosecutors described as attempts to prevent his wife from leaving. He later ambushed her with a kitchen knife after tricking her into believing he was still in hospital.
Christina suffered catastrophic injuries to her face, neck, body, arms and legs, with a post-mortem also finding signs of strangulation. Alexander later told police, “I’ve disposed of my wife”, while claiming she had attacked him first.
A jury convicted him of murder after a 14-day trial. During sentencing at Stafford Crown Court, Judge Avik Mukherjee said the extent and manner of the injuries showed Alexander intended to kill Christina.
Her brother, Neil Murphy, described Christina as the “main piece” of their family and a second mother to her younger siblings.
The judge said her death had been “shattering” for her family and friends, while police described the case as a devastating incident linked to domestic abuse and controlling behaviour.
