Professor Kills His Wife After Intimate-Photo Extortion in the United States

James Hill, 77, a former music professor at Ohio State University, fatally stabbed his 64-year-old wife, Mary, on November 9, 2025, in Upper Arlington, Ohio. He told investigators that a woman he met online threatened to release intimate photos of him unless he sent her $15,000 in Apple gift cards. After killing his wife, Hill also tried to stab the couple’s dog, then injured himself in the chest. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced on October 28, 2026, to 15 years to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 15 years.