FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A Fayetteville man accused of murdering his wife has changed his plea to guilty and been sentenced to life in prison.
Marcus Joiner was charged with capital murder after stabbing his wife to death outside of their Fayetteville home in April 2023.
In May 2023, Joiner pled not guilty to the murder, and officials confirm his trial was delayed three times between July 2023 and January 2024, due to "a large volume of [new electronic] evidence."
During a hearing on Feb. 6, 2024, Joiner changed his plea to guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
According to the Fayetteville Police Department (FPD), Dr. Amy Phelps called 911 on the night of April 16 saying her husband, Marcus, was intoxicated and aggressive. Dr. Phelps was described as being calm with the dispatcher at first, before suddenly screaming for help and then going silent.
FPD said that when officers arrived at the scene, they found Phelp's body in the road with "a knife [in] her neck." Police said she was "beyond life-saving measures."
On arrival, police reportedly saw a shirtless Joiner walk away from the body, back to his home. Police surrounded the house before Marcus came back out with a "puncture wound on the left side of his chest," officials said.
Joiner was later released from the hospital before being arrested and transferred to the Washington County Jail.
"I killed Amy," Joiner admitted during the hearing. "I stabbed her until she died."
"You took another life, and you did not have the right to do that," Judge Joanna Taylor said. "You took the life of someone you had pledged to love, to cherish, to honor and to take care of."
Phelp's family was given the opportunity to share victim impact statements at the end of the hearing.
"Your life ended way too soon," Phelps' mother Trudy said. "Our hearts are broken."
"We had no idea we had so little time," Trudy added. "We are so sorry to lose you our sweet Amy, but we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for his promise. He was there when you came into this world, and he was there when he went home. You see Amy our prayer was always Lord send her home, but he chose to take you home with him. So, dad and I will see you on the other side, we will see you in heaven, and we will talk forever and makeup for all the time we have lost."
Washington County Deputy Prosecutor Denis Dean says that prosecutors "Had not removed the possibility of seeking the death penalty" before today's hearing, but the plea change means it is no longer on the table.
"This tragic case highlights the fact that domestic violence can affect any household anywhere regardless of socioeconomic status, race, education, location, or any other extraneous factor," Dean said.
Note: Though Joiner is Dr. Phelps' married name, given the circumstances of the case, family and friends ask that she be remembered by using her maiden name.
5NEWS will update this article as more information becomes available.
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