THINK OF THE KIDS: LORI DEKLEINE TO HUSBAND

Think of the kids: Lori DeKleine to husband
WZZM TV NEWS 13
Peter Ross & Bob Brenzing
Created: 1/25/2008 10:23:35 AM
Updated: 1/26/2008 9:22:50 AM
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=86719
Detective says Ken DeKleine admitted to killing wife so "he could spend his life with his kids, without her."

Holland - A Holland Police Officer will be held over for trial for killing his wife earlier in January.

Ken DeKleine appeared in court this morning for a preliminary examination to determine if enough evidence existed for a trial.

Several witnesses took the stand this morning including the Michigan State Police Detective who interviewed DeKleine the day after the murder.

Detective Sgt. Gary Miles said on the stand that DeKleine admitted to strangling his wife, Lori, and making the scene appear to be a suicide.

Miles said DeKleine's goal was to "spend his life with his children, without her." Miles also said that in the interview, DeKleine first started thinking about killing Lori in January 2007 when she took out a Personal Protection Order against him and formulated his plan in December 2007.

Miles described how DeKleine told him how he hid in the attic of his estranged wife's home early in the morning of January 10th. After waiting for the children to leave for school, the detective said DeKleine encountered his wife, watching her from the door between the garage and the inside of the home. DeKleine forced his way in, the detective testified, holding a strap tied into a slipknot.

Detective Miles testified: "He then grabbed his wife Lori - a struggle ensued. He got this slipknot over her head. He began to tighten the slipknot against her throat. She made a statement 'think of the kids' and, he tells me that he said to her 'I am thinking of the kids' and then he continued to tighten this around the throat until he believes she died."

The medical examiner, Holland Police and other Michigan State Police detectives also testified this morning.

DeKleine's next hearing will be a formal arraignment on the charge of open murder on February 4th. He remains in jail without bond.