After withdrawing his guilty plea in January in the 2012 murder of his estranged wife, Matthew McDonough again pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Monday morning (Sept. 15) at the Jefferson County Courthouse and was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Jefferson County deputies found Deborah McDonough, 38, of St. Louis, dead July 20, 2012, at her husband’s home in the 100 block of Harvest Grove in Imperial. The couple’s two children, ages 13 and 9, were in the home during the incident but not hurt, authorities reported.
Jefferson County Div. 2 Judge Gary Kramer sentenced McDonough, 56, to the time recommended by the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
“I think this could give a little bit of closure to the family,” said assistant prosecuting attorney Tiffany Baker, who handled Monday’s sentencing.
Prosecuting Attorney Forrest Wegge said the maximum penalty McDonough could have faced was 10 to 30 years or life in prison, but the defendant’s age played a part in his office’s recommendation.
“Once you turn 70, it comes down to 40 percent of the sentence as far as possible probation,” he said. “We’re pleased with the outcome. The defendant won’t be eligible for probation until 85 percent (13.6 years) of the sentence is served.”
He initially pleaded guilty Nov. 27, 2013, to second-degree murder in the death of his estranged wife, but withdrew the plea Jan. 28, 2014, the date scheduled for his sentencing before Jefferson County Div. 4 Circuit Judge Mark Stoll.
Kramer assumed the case after Stoll recused himself from Monday’s plea hearing at the request of the parties, court records say.
McDonough remained in Jefferson County Jail since withdrawing his first guilty plea, Baker said.
According to the probable-cause statement in the case, deputies learned the McDonoughs were going through a divorce, had an argument and one of their children could not wake their mother.
Deborah McDonough was at her husband’s home for a “planned family event,” the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Deputies reported McDonough told them soon after the argument erupted “he grabbed Deborah, put his hand over her mouth since she was screaming, and put her in a headlock until she passed out.” McDonough also stated he put his wife on the bed, took her shoes off and left her on the bed, the statement says.
He reportedly told deputies he had previously assaulted his wife, according to the statement.
Deborah McDonough was found lying on a bed with marks on her neck and had been dead for some time. Matthew McDonough was found lying on the floor in the house’s basement with self-inflicted cuts on his left wrist, the report says.
His injuries were not life-threatening, but he was transported to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis County for treatment before being taken to Jefferson County Jail.
Wegge said McDonough will be sent to a Missouri Department of Corrections facility soon.
“He’s being held at the Jefferson County Jail for a few days until he is transported to prison,” Wegge said.