West Bloomfield Husband Ellery Bennett Charged with Murder

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. - For the first time, we heard from a West Bloomfield man accused of murdering his wife and failing to take his own. With bandages covering his own wounds, Ellery Bennett was charged with first-degree premeditated murder.

"Obviously, we had a decent life up until just recent times," Bennett said in 48th District Court.

Until, according to police, Bennett started to fall into hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.

His marriage also started to fail. It's believed Bennett had just learned his wife, Lisa, had filed for divorce, a reason he may have wanted to end it all.

Police say he stabbed his 46-year-old wife in her sleep and then attempted to take his own life by stabbing himself.

"I'm extremely sorry for what has occurred to my wife's family, to my family, to my friends, to my wife's son and especially to my daughter because I love my daughter to death," said Bennett.

It was letter he left behind for his ten-year-old daughter and others that gave investigators the motive behind his alleged murder; a total of five notes, some saying good-bye and others detailing the couple's marital and financial troubles.

We've now learned of another letter police say Bennett sent to a neighbor threatening to take his life.

"I don't think that person was aware of the problems, but there were some things in the note that obviously led that person to believe that the suspect wasn't happy," said West Bloomfield Police Sgt. Bob Spencer.

In court, as the prosecutor tried to convince the judge not to set bond, we learned of Bennett's criminal history; a past felonious assault charge where he's accused of strangling a girlfriend with a cord.

"You've brought up something from '91, but I have a clean record. I've never been in trouble. I've never smoked (or) drank. I've never done anything," Bennett said.

However, the judge wasn't convinced. He denied bond and believes Bennett is considered a threat to the community.

Bennett has been transported to the Oakland County Jail where we're told he's on suicide watch.