An Indiana man allegedly murdered his wife after he deemed that she didn’t care enough about his Valentine’s Day plans.
Taylor Meyer, 34, is charged with beating his wife, Deborah Meyer, with a wine bottle and stabbing her approximately 40 times while their three young children slept upstairs on February 14.
According to the New York Post, Meyer’s grand romantic gesture was driven by suspicions that his 36-year-old wife was having an affair with a coworker.
In an attempt to rekindle their relationship, he planned a “Bringing Paris to You” evening - buying her a dress, ordering dinner, and having their children draw pictures of the Eiffel Tower.
As part of the night, Meyer also gave Deborah a handwritten card, and the couple danced to their wedding song. However, he allegedly told police that she did not seem appreciative.
“It was the hardest I’ve ever tried,” he reportedly said during an interview with investigators, according to Law & Crime. “She just didn’t give a s**t.”
Court documents state that Deborah left the house for 20 minutes, which Meyer believed was to meet with her alleged “boyfriend.” When she returned, an argument escalated as he attempted to take her phone.
During the struggle, Deborah reportedly asked: “What are you going to do, kill me? You’re going to hurt me and leave our kids with no parents?”
Meyer eventually took her phone and, according to legal documents cited by WAVE, sat on her back while going through its contents. He then called the alleged boyfriend, telling him the fight was his fault.
The confrontation became violent when Meyer allegedly struck Deborah over the head multiple times with a wine bottle, knocking her unconscious.
He then retrieved what he described as a “big ass kitchen knife, a long one” and stabbed her dozens of times, including in the chest, according to court filings.
Authorities say Meyer then took a photo of Deborah’s body and sent it to the alleged boyfriend with a message that read, “Your Fault.” He also allegedly informed friends and family that he had killed his wife.
Police arrested Meyer at the scene, where officers also discovered the couple’s three children - all under the age of five - inside the home, WAVE reported.
Meyer has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. He remains in custody as he awaits trial, scheduled for July.