Colorado man says he bludgeoned wife with hatchet 30 times because he feared she might leave him

A Colorado man told police that he hit his wife with a hatchet around 30 times because he feared that she was going to leave him.

Police in Evergreen arrested 68-year-old Leland Thomas Kintzele after responding to his home on May 16 and finding 52-year-old Patricia Kintzele stabbed multiple times.

According to a statement from the Colorado Fifth Judicial District Attorney's Office this week, Kintzele was charged with Attempted Murder in the 1st Degree, Attempted Murder in the 2nd Degree and First Degree Assault.

A charging affidavit obtained by the Denver Post said that Kintzele had called 911 after attacking his wife, allegedly asking them to save her and kill him.

Deputies responding to the call found Kintzele's wife in a pool of her own blood. Kintzele was said to have stabbed himself near the heart.

"Guys, please kill me," he asked deputies, the affidavit indicated.

Kintzele's wife reportedly told investigators that she had been struck with the hatchet 30 times. And Kintzele said that he had been having marital problems for a period of about three weeks before he heard his wife telling someone one the phone that she was going to file for divorce.

"(Kintzele) said he swung the hatchet at her and hit her in the back of the head," the affidavit said. "He said she was still conscious and she pled with him to stop."

Kintzele remains in custody in lieu of $250,000 bond. A court appearance has been schedule for June 10.

“The details of this case are quite disturbing and further evidence that domestic violence is an ongoing challenge,” 5th Judicial District Attorney Bruce Brown pointed out.