LAMBERTVILLE, Mich. — (Editor's note: The above video report first aired Sept. 9, 2023.)
A Monroe County man accused of beating his wife to death was arraigned Friday on a charge of murder and assault and battery.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, deputies were dispatched to a 911 call of an in-progress domestic violence incident around 11:27 a.m. on Sept. 8, at a residence in the 2200 block of Fountain Circle in Bedford Township.
A sheriff's deputy entered the residence to perform a welfare check and saw the husband "actively assaulting" his wife. The deputy then stopped the assault and detained the husband.
Edward Hite, 81, was detained without further incident and hospitalized following the alleged assault.
His wife, 78-year-old Barbara Hite, was taken to the hospital due to "significant injuries" she suffered in the assault. Barbara Hite died at the hospital at 2:55 p.m., according to the Lucas County Coroner's Office.
The coroner's report states an autopsy was performed on Barbara Hite and found the cause of death to be multiple blunt-force injuries. Her death was subsequently classified as a homicide.
Edward Hite was arrested at the hospital by Sylvania police Sept. 8, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said, and extradited Thursday to Michigan.
A judge set his bond at $1 million on Friday.
A Monroe County Sheriff's Office Detective Bureau investigation into the incident is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the lead Detective Joshua Motylinski at 734-240-7523.
Want more from WTOL 11?
➡️ Download the WTOL 11 news app for Apple here or get it in the Google store here.
➡️ Get a fresh start to your morning and wrap up your day with the latest news and your WTOL 11 Weather forecast delivered right to your inbox!
WTOL 11's Your Morning Blast and Your Evening Blast deliver stories from northwest Ohio, southeast Michigan and beyond to keep you informed.
Click here to get on the list!