Inset left: Harriett Recker (Beaufort County Sheriff”s Office). Inset right: Dennis Recker (Obituary). Background: Preston Health Center in Hilton Head, S.C. (Google Maps).
An 82-year-old woman accused of killing her husband at an assisted living facility had plans to do so beforehand and even outlined her intentions in a note, South Carolina authorities say.
Harriett Recker faces charges of murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, Beaufort County court records show. The death of Dennis Recker, 81, occurred on the morning of Sept. 12, but new details suggest the crime was premeditated.
Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a shooting at about 10:30 a.m. at Preston Health Center at the Cypress in Hilton Head, Law&Crime previously reported. When authorities arrived, they found Dennis Recker suffering from a gunshot wound.
Harriett Recker is said to have been there too, “alongside her spouse,” according to the sheriff’s department.
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
Dennis Recker was brought to the facility the day before for treatment, according to Savannah, Georgia-based CBS affiliate WTOC. On the morning of the shooting, a neighbor brought Harriett Recker to the facility, but when they arrived at her husband’s room, they noticed a chair was missing.
The third party went to retrieve another chair, but while exiting, they heard a loud noise. Rushing to the room, a staff member reportedly saw Harriet Recker holding a revolver and Dennis Recker “clutching his chest,” according to law enforcement. He appeared surprised, uttering, “She shot me.”
The victim was given emergency medical care at the facility, but he later succumbed to his injuries, police said.
During a court appearance on Friday, authorities outlined why they believe Harriett Recker planned to kill her husband.
Financial documents and interviews with witnesses and family members helped investigators form their theory — but it was the discovery of notes that may have been the breakthrough, the local TV station reported.
“To you all, this has just been too much for me; I so wish I could do it with the wonderful family we have, so many good friends,” Harriet Recker reportedly wrote. “He can’t have a life without someone, and that someone can’t be me as I am just not strong enough or smart enough to do all this.”
This note was in her purse, an identical one was at her home, and a similar one was sent to her neighbor, according to WTOC.
The Preston Health Center provides short- and long-term health care, including memory care for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Is it not clear what Dennis Recker was being treated for.
The case has been sent to a grand jury as prosecutors seek a formal indictment against Harriett Recker.
