Wife Thought He Was 'Normal.' Then Cops Say He Set a Trap

Michael Wilson allegedly rigged front door to electrocute his pregnant wife
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 30, 2017 3:59 PM CST
Cops: Man Set 'Booby Trap' to Electrocute Pregnant Wife
Michael Wilson allegedly rigged his Florida home with a "booby trap" to electrocute his pregnant wife.   (Knox County Sheriff's Office)

A Florida sheriff calls it "one of the most bizarre domestic violence cases I have seen in my career." The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports a Florida man allegedly rigged a "booby trap" capable of electrocuting his pregnant wife if she unlocked the front door of their home over the Christmas holiday. Authorities say 32-year-old Michael Wilson aroused the suspicions of his unnamed wife's stepfather when he told her to make sure she used the front door and to not let a child touch the doorknob. (Reuters reports Wilson and his wife have a young daughter together.) During this time, Wilson had disappeared from his in-law's home in Tennessee without explanation and accused his wife of cheating on him via text.

Authorities went to Wilson's home in Florida on Tuesday and found burn marks on the front door, which let off a large spark when kicked open. Inside they found the doorknob and deadbolt attached to a car battery charger. An electrician who looked at a picture of the booby trap determined there was an 80% to 100% chance of "suffering death or great bodily harm." They also found Wilson's wife's new smart cameras in the toilet and other odd items. Wilson was arrested Thursday in Tennessee and charged with attempted aggravated battery on a pregnant person. He's also been charged with stealing a firearm from his father-in-law's home, WKMG reports. Wilson's wife says he "seemed to be a normal person" until falling a few months ago and refusing to get medical treatment. Wilson's Facebook page lists him as "widowed." (More weird crimes stories.)

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