Elderly Woman Kills Husband with Cane

On Tuesday, March 1, 2023, 72-year-old John D’Anthony’s life came to a violent end in Westminster, Maryland.

An autopsy conducted revealed John was a victim of a homicide, having developed extensive injuries such as blunt force trauma, a broken neck, black eyes, and a broken rib.

The sheriff’s office soon narrowed in on a prime suspect for the crime: John’s very own 76-year-old wife, Gail D’Anthony.

It began when EMS personnel had been called to the Royer Road residence. The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit (MCU) was summoned to archive evidence.

In June, conflicting reports of how John had died were released. A witness spoke of Gail D’Anthony, aged 76, and John’s wife, who had allegedly claimed to have pushed John to the ground and bludgeoned him to death with a cane.

Carroll County State’s Office was contacted, resulting in a warrant to arrest Gail D’Anthony. In a statement that was released, it detailed, “The witness’s information is consistent with the evidence found at the scene.”

D’Anthony was then taken into custody on June 21, 2023, in Cumberland and accused of both first- and second-degree murder; currently detained in Carroll County Detention Center with no possibility of bail.

The Sheriff’s Office, State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Major Crimes Unit all unite to show their dedication to reducing domestic violence. It is important to remember that defendants are innocent until legally proven guilty in a court of law.