A New York man woke up one night in 2013 with a searing headache and with his pillow covered in blood. When he searched the house for his wife, he found her lying on the living room floor, saying she had been attacked by an intruder. This week his wife has been found guilty of attempted murder.
Emily Dearden was convicted this week of the November, 2013 attempted murder of her husband, Kenneth.
Late in the night of November 14, 2013, Kenneth woke up with excruciating pain in his head and a blood covered pillow. Alarmed, he stumbled through the house in Westchester, New York searching for his wife, Emily. Eventually he found her lying in the living room and she explained that she had been attacked and knocked unconscious by an intruder. Meanwhile, he also noticed that the laundry was being run.
Dearden was taken to Westchester Medical Center where emergency room staff discovered that he had been shot in the head. They quickly ushered him into surgery to remove a small caliber bullet from his head. The bullet had hit his jaw and deflected away from his brain, saving his life. After eight days of recovery he was released from the hospital.
According to The Journal News, more than a year passed without any suspects being identified, however, Mr. Dearden had a growing suspicion that his wife may have been responsible.
He had been aware that his wife had a “lover (with) whom she had been having an on-and-off-again extramarital affair since at least early 2011.”
He eventually filed a civil suit alleging a “sadistic attack by the adulterous wife on her husband.” In the body of the lawsuit, he continues “With [Kenneth] no longer in the picture, [Emily] could avoid a contentious divorce, keep the marital home and never admit the marriage infidelity to any family and friends.”
A week later, Emily was charged with attempted murder. This past week she plead guilty and is awaiting sentencing on June 7. Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino says she faces up to fifteen years for the crime.
No charges have been brought against the Texas man whom Dearden believes was romantically involved with his wife.
Forty six year old Emily Dearden was formerly a senior New York Police Department psychologist.
In her statement to Yonkers police officers on the night of the incident, she said “I got hit hard on the left side of my head. …I don’t know who hit me. I never saw it coming. The next thing that I became aware of was my husband Ken shaking me, asking me what happened.”
People have taken to news sites to comment on this case since her conviction, saying things like:
“Wonder if the female psychologist majored in criminal psychology because this was a very amateurish plan.”
“A divorce would have been easier all the way around.”
“This plea bargain is appalling. Upper class, junk justice at its finest. The Westchester County DA Office should be ashamed of themselves.”
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