A blind man who lived in a small house for twenty years without knowing that his wife kept a lover in the next room died of natural causes, according to a judge’s ruling.
The court ruled that Ray Willicord, 52, died in his sleep from a fatal coronary — despite the fact that friends, neighbors, and relatives believe Willacord’s wife poisoned him so that she and her lover could be properly, privately wed.
Anita Willicord, 51, admitted that she “sinned terribly by taking advantage of my husband’s handicap.”
And she said her helpless husband might have been wise to the sneaky arrangement for years.
“He was so sweet. And so dependent on me and secure in our house — that he wouldn’t say anything. But I think he knew. I think he heard us on several occasions.”
But she has insisted from the beginning that the murder charges were absurd, and the court’s decision supported her.
“I’ve done a wrong, awful, devious thing,” Anita told the jury. “But I didn’t kill him. He was my husband. I loved him. I’m more upset about his passing than anyone else.”
She had been living with another man, Phil Plospere, 45, in the home for over twenty years. When Willicord died, she married Plospere two weeks later.
Many people in the threesome’s hometown of Folwersbourg, Sweden, became suspicious about the quick re-marriage, and murder charges were filed.
Plospere testified at the trial.
“The old man was totally blind. For all those years, I lived in that house without saying a word. I softly slithered around the house in socks. Anita and I had a very silent, physical relationship. It was also a strong, emotional relationship. Naturally, we wanted to get married.
“But no one wanted Ray to die. I loved him too. We never wanted to hurt him, which is why we kept so quiet.”
Plospere said that he and Mrs. Willicord spent some evenings watching T.V. in each other’s arms, with Ray Willicord sitting in the same room.
She also made appearances in both her husband’s and her lover’s bed on a nightly basis.
Says Anita Willicord: “Ray was not only blind, but he was extremely trusting. I deserved to be caught, and I wasn’t. This trial — and the misery of living without Ray — is my punishment.”