Authorities in Pekin, Illinois, have charged a 93-year-old man with first-degree murder after police say he admitted to fatally stabbing his wife during a domestic dispute, as reported [1] by The New York Post.
According to court documents, James Pate told investigators he killed his wife, Cheryl Pate, 80, after an argument escalated inside their vehicle on Tuesday. He said he had ‘a lot of pent-up anger.’
⚠️ Important
A 93-year-old man charged with murdering his wife allegedly told police he slashed her throat because he “couldn’t take it anymore.”
James Pate told police in Pekin, that he and his wife, Cheryl Pate, 80, got into a fight in their carhttps://t.co/jCPneCtCs8 [3]
— Open News© (@OpenNewNews) September 4, 2025 [4]
An affidavit obtained by 25 News Now stated that during the altercation, James Pate struck Cheryl, then he pulled a knife from the center console. He then slit her throat.
Police responding to the scene found James Pate covered in blood.
Image Credit: Maya Shustov - Shutterstock.com [6] Extremely Bloody Knife Attack Leaves 1 Dead, Another Injured In NYC Laundromat [VIDEOS]
Emergency responders found the female victim and transported her to a hospital where she died. https://t.co/9wZMt1C2Nf [7]
— KKTV 11 News (@KKTV11News) September 3, 2025 [8]
Cheryl Pate was found unresponsive and transported to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The Peoria County Coroner’s Office performed an autopsy, which determined that she died from multiple sharp and blunt-force injuries described as “incompatible with life and unsurvivable.”
The Pekin Police Department confirmed James Pate has been formally charged with first-degree murder. The Tazewell County State’s Attorney’s Office has filed a petition seeking to deny his pretrial release.
Authorities have not released further details regarding the couple’s marriage or how long they had been together.