Man who allegedly stabbed wife has dementia, friendly to neighbours
An 88-year-old man who allegedly stabbed his 74-year-old wife in their Petir Road flat on Tuesday was a familiar face around the neighbourhood, often seen navigating the area on his personal mobility device (PMD).
While details surrounding the incident remain unclear, neighbours described the man as a friendly presence despite struggling with dementia.
"We would see him going about on his PMD and he gets lost sometimes,” shared a neighbour who wished to remain anonymous. “But we didn’t really talk to the couple."
The neighbour added that the wife was rarely seen, reportedly unwell for “a very long time”.
Next-door maid Marilou A. Penar, 52, shares a closer relationship with the elderly couple. Having known them for over a decade, she described them as kind and generous.
"They’re always very nice, they would greet us whenever they saw us and give us food during Hari Raya,” said Ms Penar, visibly affected by the news.
“My employers are also close with them. Sometimes, the auntie would come over, knocking on our door to ask for help with anything, like when their electric fan was broken or either of them needed help getting up.”
Ms Penar confirmed the elderly man's struggle with dementia, which caused him to frequently wander the neighbourhood. She recounted lighthearted moments of him forgetting her, to which she would respond with playful banter.
"The uncle was sometimes grumpy, but he was always joyful and joking around whenever he interacted with us," she recalled.
According to Ms Penar, the couple live with their grandson, who is in his 20s. The couple's children, reportedly one son and four daughters, would often visit and bring them food.
The incident has shaken the community, with many in the area remembering the elderly man as a harmless, albeit forgetful, neighbour.
“I’m really shocked. I saw them on Monday and they were upbeat,” said Ms Penar.
“They liked to sing songs and we heard them singing just then.”
In the incident that took place at Block 137 Petir Road, the elderly man allegedly stabbed his wife after midnight on June 5.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force were called to the unit around 12.45am and they found an elderly woman unresponsive. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
A pair of scissors, believed to be the weapon used, was reportedly seen being measured by police officers.
The Police said an 88-year-old man was arrested for his alleged involvement in the murder of a 74-year-old woman.
Officers found her lying motionless inside the Petir Road unit and she was pronounced dead by paramedics at scene.
The man will be charged in court on June 6 June with murder. The offence of murder carries the death penalty.
Police investigations are ongoing.
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