MISSION VIEJO, Calif.—An elderly man diagnosed with dementia was arrested by police on March 15 after deputies determined there were “suspicious” circumstances surrounding his wife’s death.
William Wiley, 86, was arrested on Tuesday, after his wife, also in her 80s, was found dead inside a residence, according to the department.
Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputies were called to the 28000 block of Via Arriaga in Mission Viejo at about 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
After deputies arrived on the scene, they determined that circumstances surrounding the death were “suspicious,” prompting the case to be investigated as a homicide. Wiley was subsequently detained by officers.
Based on interviews and evidence at the scene, the officers later officially booked him into Orange County Jail. Wiley’s family members indicated he was previously diagnosed with dementia, the department said.
Wiley is currently being held on a $1 million bail, according to the Sheriff’s Department records. His next court appearance will take place on Thursday, March 17.
Exact details that led deputies to investigate the matter as a homicide were unclear.
The deceased woman’s name has not yet been released, pending autopsy by the Orange County Coroner.
The Orange County Sheriff Department’s Homicide Unit will continue to conduct an investigation to determine what happened, they said, noting there was no ongoing threat to public safety.
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