A 72-year-old Windermere man was arrested on murder charges after confessing to killing his wife, police said

WINDERMERE, Fla – A Windermere man was arrested Thursday after he allegedly confessed to killing his wife, whose body was found in their home earlier this week, according to police.

Thomas Wentzell, 72, was arrested on a charge of second-degree murder, the Windermere Police Department (WPD) said in a news release.

Police officers first responded around 1:30 a.m. Monday to the home where he lived with his wife, Linda Wentzell, to a report of a dead woman.

Police first responded to the home Wentzell shared with his wife, Linda, around 1:30 a.m. Monday after receiving a report of a deceased woman. Authorities said Thomas and Linda Wentzell were the only people present at the scene.

An investigation was initiated based on initial observations, witness statements and the overall circumstances at the crime scene.

According to police, early interviews revealed inconsistencies in Wentzell’s account of events, raising further questions.

Then, just before 10 a.m. Thursday, Ocoee police (which shares a radio channel with WPD) received a call saying Wentzell had expressed suicidal intentions. The caller also said Wentzell confessed to killing his wife and told them he “deserved to die.”

Wentzell was arrested by police and taken to Windermere Police Department where he was interviewed by investigators. During that interview, he confessed to killing his wife, authorities said.

A subsequent investigation uncovered additional evidence, including a voicemail confession left for a loved one and a suicide note found in Wentzell’s home.

Further details were not initially disclosed.

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