Warning: This story mentions suicide. 

An 80-year-old man who strangled his beloved wife with a necktie in a failed suicide pact has been jailed – but a judge has ruled it would go “too far” to impose the standard minimum of 10 years.

John Salter was struck by the ill-health of his wife of 60 years with Alzheimer’s, and after being approached by a staff member at their Mount Maunganui rest home about Jean’s “dangerous wandering behaviour”, he became concerned.

He began talking with his wife about a suicide pact; however, she would often forget when reminded.

On the morning of October 8 last year, in their Bayswater Metlifecare Retirement Village unit, Salter took a necktie he’d hidden under a couch pillow and wrapped it around her throat.

John Salter, 80, in the High Court at Hamilton this morning where he was jailed for four years for the murder of his wife Jean in a suicide pact gone wrong. Photo / Mike Scott

He tried to take his own life but failed. He instead called his sister in the United Kingdom, then the police.

Salter appeared in the High Court at Hamilton for sentencing this morning after earlier admitting murdering his wife.

Justice Francis Cooke found there was a suicide pact between the couple and that Salter was not someone who needed to be given the ordinary minimum non-parole period of 10 years for murder, stating that “would go too far”.

After taking a starting point of eight years in prison, he then issued 50 per cent worth of discounts.

He jailed Salter for four years and declined to issue a minimum non-parole period on that sentence.

“No purpose is served for you to be given a minimum non-parole period.”

Before sending Salter down to the cells, Justice Cooke told him “not to give up hope” and asked him to start thinking about his future and where he would like to spend the last of his days once he’s free from prison.

Before taking his wife’s life, Salter had been unsure about whether the rest home would evict them or if Jean would be moved to an Alzheimer’s unit.

The thought of them being separated was “unbearable”, Justice Cooke said, and Salter was also concerned about the potential cost.

He told investigators he’d had discussions with Jean about “going together” and she would nod but later forget.

Earlier, Crown solicitor Anna Pollett submitted this wasn’t a “mercy-killing” case.

“The deceased had mild Alzheimer’s for one year,” Pollett said.

“The deceased was not abusive or aggressive towards the defendant and nor was the defendant required to provide full care to her.”

Instead, a significant amount of care and support was available at the rest home, she said.

Pollett called for a jail term of 10 years, adding the murder had a “selfish motive” with John Salter required “to do more chores around the house”.

Counsel Tony Rickard-Simms denied there was a selfish motive.

“There was nothing selfish whatsoever in Mr Salter’s motives,” Rickard-Simms said.

“They met at 15 and 17 and married a year later, as soon as she was legally able to, they came out to New Zealand in 1975 and spent every day together.”

They shared one car throughout their working life, so they would wait while the other finished and drive home together at the end of each day.

“They were together 24/7.”

Rickard-Simms said John Salter found himself in a position on that day that he “didn’t understand ... and found unbearable”.

“It was slowly but surely that Jean started to lose her faculties, to the point where she would lose things, forget numbers.”

He even bought her a paywave card so that she still had some independence.

However, he realised her behaviour was becoming “problematic”, but couldn’t see life without her, or having her live in an Alzheimer’s unit.

“His desire was that they should be together forever.”

October 8, 2023

The couple, who’d been together for 60 years, were living in the Bayswater Metlifecare Retirement Village.

After heading out for their usual Sunday breakfast, at McDonald’s and Robert Harris, they headed back to their unit about midday.

It was then Salter placed the necktie under the couch cushion in the lounge near Jean’s armchair.

He went into the bathroom and made preparations to take his own life.

During the afternoon, Salter made his wife a cup of coffee and sat with her in the lounge.

At some point, he asked her to drink her coffee and she stood to pick it up, then put it down again.

Her husband saw this as his opportunity. He took the necktie out and wrapped the ends around his hands.

He helped Jean stand up and wrapped the tie around her throat.

He strangled her as he lowered her to the floor and she cried out “oh, John” several times.

After she died, Salter went into the bathroom and attempted to commit suicide. Not succeeding, he called a relative, then the police.

Police previously confirmed they were called to the village at 6.55pm and found Jean’s body.

Police recorded that Salter said he killed his wife because “he could not live without her, and planned to kill himself after to be with her”.

WHERE TO GET HELP 

• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• Youth services: (06) 3555 906
• Youthline: 0800 376 633
• What’s Up: 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm)
• Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7)
• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
• Helpline: 1737

If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111 

Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for nine years and been a journalist for 20.