Tacoma man pleads guilty to strangling wife to death

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — A 58-year-old man has pleaded guilty to murder in connection with using a belt to strangle his wife.

Michael Leroy Brown pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree murder in Superior Court in Tacoma.

Prosecutors say 59-year-old Valerie Leroy Brown died at their home in January after Brown walked into their bedroom and strangled her while she was sleeping. He then called 911.

The News Tribune reports Brown answered "yes, your honor," when asked by a judge Wednesday if he had killed his wife.

Deputies say Brown told them he had recently lost his job and didn't want his wife to suffer the consequences.

He reportedly also said he had attempted suicide shortly after Christmas.

Brown will be sentenced in November.