Pensioner admits murdering 77-year-old wife
BBCA pensioner has admitted murdering his 77-year-old wife.
Michael Wall, 79 and from Stockton, killed Dorothy Wall between 12 and 16 March, Teesside Crown Court heard.
His barrister Jamie Hill KC said toxicology reports would support Wall's claim he took a drug overdose at the same time.
Wall, of Hillcrest Avenue, was remanded into custody ahead of sentencing on 5 October.
Cleveland Police previously said they found the victim deceased after being called to Hillcrest Avenue shortly before 01:00 GMT on 15 March.
Hill said Wall would say he killed his wife two days before that, the same day he took an overdose.
A psychiatric report showed there was "no partial defence to murder" but Wall's mental background needed "further investigation" as it "may shed light as to how this came to happen", Hill said.
Judge Francis Laird KC said he would adjourn sentencing for further psychiatric and probation reports.
He told Wall the only sentence available was life imprisonment, but the judge would have to determine the minimum period he would have to be jailed for before being eligible for parole.
