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Judge Hopes Wife Killer "Will Never Draw A Free Breath"
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 23, 2010
Modified Jun 23, 2010
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 23, 2010
Modified Jun 23, 2010
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A Long Island man who initially went to the media begging for information about his missing wife—when he actually killed her and covered up the murder—was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison. William Walsh, 31, who pleaded guilty to murder last month, told the family of his dead wife, "If there was any way to change places, I would. I truly am sorry."
According to Newsday, Leah Hirschel Walsh's family slammed Walsh: Her father said Walsh's actions (the murder, the coverup) were "so vile and despicable as to render him unfit to walk freely in any civilized society. The physical brutality you showed at the time of her murder is equal only to the cowardice you showed the entire world in the hours and days afterward," and pointed out that hundreds of special needs students (Leah Hirschel Walsh taught special education) would be denied his daughter's guidance. Other relatives used words like "evil," "cancer," and "monster" to describe him.
Judge David Ayres told Walsh, "It is my firm belief that you should never - and it is my hope that you will never - draw a free breath ever again."
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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