Man told police he shot wife in mercy killing but the truth was even more horrifying

Meyer lived with his wife's corpse for four days before calling police (Image: Utah State Police)

Police officers responding to an emergency call from a man claiming to have shot his wife were unprepared for the gruesome scene they encountered. Dave Meyer, aged 69 at the time of the murder, rang 999 from his home in Roy, Utah on 21 January 2023, informing the operator that he had shot his 62 year old wife, Suzanne Meyer, in the head.

Upon arrival at the scene, officers discovered Suzanne lying face-down on the bed with her feet on the floor, as though she had been kneeling. She had died from a single gunshot wound, as reported by the Real Crime Psychology podcast, and a strong smell of decomposition filled the air. Attempting to justify his four-day delay in contacting the police, Meyer stated: "I guess I was in shock. I sat in my house and just tried to not focus on what I'd done."

Suzanne suffered a severe spinal injury 10 years before her death (Image: Supplied)

During a surprisingly composed and relaxed police interview, Meyer revealed that his typically fit and healthy wife had been left in constant agony after being hit by a cyclist while jogging in Hawaii.

The accident, according to Meyer, "just totally destroyed her". He described her as "a very strong woman in the gym all her life" who "ran, lifted every day, [she kept] in shape".

However, following the accident, surgeons had to insert steel pins into her spine to mend the damage – leaving her unable to stand or sit comfortably and constantly taking medication for the pain.

Meyer alleged that his wife Suzanne had repeatedly pleaded with him to end her life. He claimed he could no longer bear to see his beloved wife in such agony, and while giving her a back rub, he reached for a 9mm pistol with his other hand and shot her in the head.

Meyer seemed eerily calm throughout his interrogation (Image: Utah State Police)

"I couldn't stand to see her suffer any more," he confessed to the police. However, testimonies from two other witnesses painted a much darker picture.

Suzanne's sister Sandy vehemently denied Meyer's claims: "My sister did not want to die. There's no way in hell. This is a bodybuilder who has made plans, she still has Amazon packages coming.

"My mum's dying," Sandy added, "she wouldn't let me [cope with that] by myself."

Sandy accused Meyer of forcing Suzanne into sexual acts with other men on camera, and threatening her when she refused to comply. 

Suzanne had been forced into having sex with other men, her sister claimed (Image: Supplied)

She added that while Suzanne had complained of "horrible" pain, she never expressed any suicidal thoughts.

The evidence that led detectives to believe that Meyer's actions were not out of love for his suffering wife, but driven by a far more sinister motive. The revelation came from a client at the gym where he worked.

It was revealed that Meyer had been having an affair with this woman over several months.

The witness, whose identity has not been disclosed, informed the police that Meyer had a tumultuous relationship with his wife and that Suzanne would "try to get him to hit her so she could call the cops on him".

Bodycam footage showed the moment police arrived at Meyer's home (Image: Utah State Police)

In a damning revelation, the woman stated that Meyer had been contemplating murdering his wife for some time. She added: "A couple of weeks ago, he told me that he almost shot her."

In another conversation, the witness claimed, Meyer had informed her that Suzanne would be "gone soon".

Faced with such overwhelming evidence, Dave Meyer agreed to a plea deal in March 2023, admitting guilt to murder in return for the dismissal of several other charges. Finally, on 10th May 2024, at the second district court in Ogden, Utah, Judge Joseph Bean sentenced Meyer to 15 years to life imprisonment.

He is currently serving his sentence at the Utah State Prison.