Man accused of choking terminally ill wife accepts plea deal

Man accused of choking terminally ill wife accepts plea deal 
KSL.com; by Pat Reavy; 9/27/24 
A man who prosecutors say attempted to end his terminally ill wife's life by choking her has accepted a plea deal. DeWayne McCulla, 46, pleaded guilty on Thursday in 5th District Court to an amended charge of attempted manslaughter, a third-degree felony. The charge comes with a domestic violence sentencing enhancement. Arenda Lee McCulla, 47, died on Dec. 21, 2021, following her battle with breast cancer. The night before, however, as a small group of family members were by her side in La Verkin, DeWayne McCulla "choked the victim in an attempt to kill her to ease her suffering while they were with her during her terminal cancer and being on hospice," according to charging documents. Other family members pulled McCulla off of his wife.
Editor's note: Crucial information that is not reported in this article: Where was the hospice team in managing this patient's pain? In educating and supporting the caregiver (the husband?) and family about contacting the hospice? In making required visits when the patient is actively dying? In assessing the caregiver's ability to provide care, especially any history or risks of domestic violence, neglect, or abuse? What safety-in-the-home protocols were used by this hospice, especially when hospice team members followed up? Aware of not-knowing these many factors, I do not ask these with judgment but rather to raise awareness of core, preventive measures for other hospice patients.