Newton, MA: Newton man kills wife, self in murder-suicide

An 86-year-old Newton man fatally stabbed his 86-year-old wife in the neck before turning the knife on himself, Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone said today.

A relative of Jane Cooper Wyman and William Wyman alerted police at 5:30 a.m. that something might be wrong at their 290 Woodland Road home, said police Lt. Bruce Apotheker.

“All I know is based upon statements given to the department, we were made aware of there was a possible murder-suicide,” Apotheker said.

After making a forced entry into the home, authorities found the couple lying dead on a bed from stab wounds to the neck, Apotheker said.

Investigators believe William Wyman stabbed his wife before taking his own life based on a note left at the scene and statements the man made to family members, the DA’s statement said.

Last Thursday, police were called to the home at 11:09 a.m. for a well-being check after being contacted by a third party. Apotheker said police took no action after speaking with William Wyman. Police yesterday refused to release an incident report on that call, citing a pending investigation.

The couple’s family remained in seclusion at their home, which is located near Lasell College.

John Voccaro, who has lived across the street from the Wyman’s for 24 years, said William was a retired insurance adjuster and his wife was a retired kindergarten teacher, who was employed by the nearby Williams Elementary School. He said the couple had three children and had grandchildren who visited the family.

“As far as I know, their marriage was good,” said Voccaro. “I’m very saddened.”

Neighbor Steve Jacobson said he tapped William Wyman for his institutional memory of the neighborhood. Jacobson, who has lived in the neighborhood for 13 years, said he would see Wyman at Star Market and visited their home on Halloween several years back.

He said he hadn’t had any contact with him in about a year. He added he seemed a “little more frail,” but his health did not seem troubling given his age.

“As far as I could tell everything seemed fine with him,” Jacobson said. “It’s obviously a terrible tragedy both for his family and for the neighborhood as a whole.”