Woman Kills Husband in Dumbbell Attack

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A 59-year-old woman admitted to killing her husband by striking him on the head with a dumbbell.

Mary Joy, a retired teacher, said the incident occurred around 11 a.m. on October 13 inside their home in Barangay Poblacion Ilaud, Zarraga, Iloilo.

After the attack, she went to a radio station in Iloilo City to ask for help. She was later turned over to Iloilo City Police Station 1 and subsequently taken into custody by personnel from the Zarraga Municipal Police Station.

Following the report, officers from Zarraga Municipal Police Station, along with personnel from the Zarraga Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), responded to the scene.

Captain Dandy Ilalto, Zarraga police chief, said they found Mary Joy’s husband, Eduardo, 62, a retired engineer, lying on the sofa in their living room.

Eduardo was dressed in boxer shorts and a sleeveless shirt. A dumbbell, which was used to strike his forehead, was found beside him.

Ilalto surmised that Eduardo was lying on the sofa when the attack took place.

The couple had been married for more than 30 years but had no children. They employed a male helper who was off duty at the time of the incident.

Ilalto noted that Mary Joy was crying and repeatedly apologizing, making it difficult to interview her.

According to family members, Mary Joy had been struggling with mental health issues, and Eduardo had regularly taken her for psychiatric treatment.

Mary Joy had previously stated that she had bipolar disorder. At the time of the incident, she claimed to have heard “whispers” that led her to attack her husband.

Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, is a mental health condition characterized by periods of depression and episodes of abnormally elevated mood that can last from days to weeks.