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Husband admits he killed wife, officials sayBy LISA GREENE © St. Petersburg Times, published May 21, 2001
But just before midnight Saturday, Eric M. Wilkes admitted to stabbing and strangling his wife, investigators say. His motive, he told officials, was that he could no longer stand her constant hand washing. Wilkes told investigators that his wife had obsessive-compulsive disorder, causing her to wash her hands constantly and to want him to wash his repeatedly as well. Sheriff's investigators had no further information Sunday about the statement's veracity. "We're only going by his confession right now," said Pinellas sheriff's spokesman Cal Dennie. Deborah Wilkes' father, James Doyle of Belleair Beach, declined Sunday to talk about whether his daughter had any disorder. "That's a statement from Eric and we'll leave it at that," he said. No matter what the motive, Wilkes, 31, was in the Pinellas County Jail on Sunday, charged with first-degree murder. Investigators found the body of his wife, 44, in their home at 3050 Glen Oak Ave. N at 9:30 p.m. Friday, after Eric Wilkes called 911 and said he had just discovered her body. Wilkes told investigators then that he had last seen his wife Friday between 8 and 9 a.m., when she dropped him off at work. But Saturday night, investigators say, Wilkes told a different story. He said he planned Thursday to kill her because he was tired of her hand washing. Then he stabbed and strangled her about 7:30 a.m. Friday. The couple married six years ago in Safety Harbor. Deborah Wilkes, who went to Largo High School, had an adult son from a previous marriage. She raised rabbits and exotic birds in her home. "It wasn't as any kind of big professional occupation," Doyle said. "She's always loved animals of all kinds." Investigators knew about past disagreements between the couple, but neither had any arrests on domestic violence charges. Doyle said he had never seen Wilkes hurt his daughter, but would not say whether he knew of any past instances when Wilkes had hurt or threatened her. Tony Maltese, who lives next door, said he had heard the couple arguing inside twice in the past few months but never saw any violence. He said the neighborhood is saddened by Deborah Wilkes' death but also relieved that her husband admitted to killing her. "This confession has brought some immediate closure for the area, so we don't have to worry about somebody breaking in," he said. Studies have shown that between 2 percent and 8 percent of Americans suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, said Clearwater psychiatrist John Mike. People can have one trait, such as repeatedly locking doors or washing their hands. In more severe cases, they may follow a pattern of compulsive behaviors, from counting each tile they step on to showering several times a day or washing their hands until they are red and peeling. "It's a miserable disease to have, because it complicates your life," Mike said. "It can take an hour to leave the house, because you keep returning to lock the door." The disorder, which has been linked to low levels of serotonin in the brain, can be treated with medication and behavioral therapy, Mike said. "It can be severe," he said, "but obviously, none of that justifies harming someone."
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