Indian Man Stabs Wife 17 Times, Drives Over Her in US; Sentenced To Life Imprisonment

Florida: An Indian man, Philip Mathew, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal 2020 murder of his wife, Merin Joy, in Florida. The plea deal he accepted spared him from facing the death penalty.

Merin Joy, at the age of 26, was stabbed 17 times in the hospital’s parking lot, and Mathew’s actions were described as a horrific act of violence. Mathew not only attacked her with a deadly weapon but also ran over her with his car before fleeing the scene. She managed to reveal her attacker’s identity before succumbing to her injuries.

During the recent court hearing, Mathew pleaded no contest to first-degree murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. As a result, he received a life sentence in state prison without the possibility of parole, along with an additional five years for the aggravated assault charge.

The decision to forgo the death penalty was based on the certainty of the life sentence, and because Mathew gave up his right to appeal, as explained by Paula McMahon, spokesperson for the State Attorney’s Office.

Merin Joy’s family continues to grieve her loss. A cousin, Joby Philip, conveyed the court’s decision to the family, stating that Joy’s mother is relieved to know that her daughter’s killer will spend the rest of his life behind bars and that the legal process has concluded.