Man who pleaded guilty to killing his wife dies in jail cell days before sentencing
Joshua David Fury[Hennepin County Jail]
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota Department of Corrections are investigating after a man who pleaded guilty to killing his wife died Saturday night in his cell at the Hennepin County Jail.
According to the sheriff’s office, 29-year-old Joshua Fury was found unresponsive in his cell around 7:13 p.m. Deputies and paramedics attempted life-saving measures but were unsuccessful.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner ruled Fury’s death a suicide.
On July 9, Fury pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the death of his wife, Maria. He was set to be sentenced on Friday. The Hennepin County Attorney’s office was seeking a 38-year prison sentence.
More from KSTP.com:
Man pleads guilty to strangling wife, burying her in crawl space
Charges: Maple Grove man strangled wife, buried her in crawl space
Missing woman in Maple Grove found dead, suspect arrested on probable cause
According to a criminal complaint, Fury reported his wife missing after she left their Maple Grove home for a walk on April 30. Officers were unable to find her and returned the next day with K9s; one of the dogs found human remains in the crawlspace of the couple’s home.
A search warrant was executed, and the victim’s body was recovered from the crawlspace on May 2. An autopsy revealed that she had died from asphyxiation.
Fury initially denied harming his wife but later admitted to investigators that he had strangled his wife, placed a plastic bag over her head and buried her in the crawlspace. He was later charged with one count of second-degree murder.