Skip to content
DiSanto Propane (Banner)
Home » Yates County » Penn Yan » Elderly Penn Yan man with dementia believed to have strangled wife to death

Elderly Penn Yan man with dementia believed to have strangled wife to death

In a tragic incident, an 89-year-old man with severe case of dementia is expected to face charges in relation to the death of his 89-year-old wife, according to Penn Yan Police Chief Thomas Dunham.


Authorities discovered both individuals on the bathroom floor of their Penn Yan residence on Aug. 29 after a concerned home health aide checked on them.

It’s believed they had been in that state for two to three days, with the last known contact on Aug. 26.


While no signs of forced entry or disturbance were noted at the scene, the woman appeared to have been strangled with a bath towel.

Dunham remarked on the unexpected nature of the incident, pointing out the wife’s good health prior to the tragedy.

The ongoing investigation involves the Yates County District Attorney’s Office as they determine the appropriate charges for the husband, who is currently medically incapacitated and hospitalized at Geneva General Hospital.