A husband murdered his wife after she refused to appear on a home renovation TV show, according to prosecutors.
David Tronnes, 55, strangled and beat Shanti Cooper-Tronnes to death at the couple’s home in Orlando, Florida, in April 2018.
On Wednesday, Tronnes was convicted of the 39-year-old’s murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Jury members were told how Tronnes had hoped to appear on “Zombie House Renovations” – a reality show where participants flip dilapidated properties into stunning homes.
“Tronnes had spent thousands of dollars on renovations and had hopes of appearing on the reality television show,” prosecutors said.
“This led to the couple experiencing problems in their marriage.”
According to prosecutors: “Her refusal to appear on the show upset Tronnes to the point that it led to her murder.”
During the renovation process, the pair slept apart, with Tronnes staying in the garage and his wife sleeping in a one-bedroom studio on the property.
Ms Cooper-Tronnes was killed in the studio.
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Tronnes attempted to clean up the crime scene before police arrived. He told officers he found his wife in the bathtub after spending the day cleaning and walking his dogs.
However, detectives noticed inaccuracies in his story.
A medical examination of his wife’s body also found facial injuries, including to the victim’s eyes.
According to prosecutors, Tronnes showed little remorse during an interrogation and never cried about his wife’s death.
He was arrested four months later and charged with murder.
His six day trial concluded Wednesday, with the jury returning a guilty verdict.
Tronnes was immediately sentenced to life in prison in the Florida Department of Corrections.
