Sentenced to life in prison for killing his wife and dog and simulating a robbery

Left: Matthew G. Speck. Right: Caitlin C. Speck and her dog, Bailey Mae (Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office).

A 37-year-old man in South Carolina He will spend the rest of his days locked up murder his wife and their dog, and then staged the scene to look like a home invasion so he could escape with his girlfriend.

Berkeley County Circuit Court Judge Deadra Jefferson ordered Matthew G. Speck to serve a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Caitlin C. Speck in 2020, authorities announced.

According to a press release of the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, a jury voted to convict Matthew Speck of murdering his wife after a five-day trial. Matthew Speck was also found guilty of one count each of cruelty to animals and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime in connection with the murder.

Authorities said Matthew Speck on June 5, 2020 shot and killed his wife while she was sleeping in their bed. After shooting his own wife to death, Speck shot and killed his dog, a Labrador retriever named Bailey Mae.

“Speck then shot himself in the arm and torso to create superficial wounds and make police believe his claim that home invaders had attacked them all,” prosecutors wrote in the statement. “After a diligent investigation involving forensic evidence, witness statements, and a five-hour interview of Speck by Hanahan Police Department detectives, Matthew Speck was arrested for killing both his wife Caitlin and their dog Bailey Mae. “.

At his trial, jurors were shown physical evidence of the crime and heard testimony from doctors, crime scene technicians, one of Matthew Speck’s co-workers, and, most importantly, Matthew Speck’s girlfriend. . Matthew Speck’s co-worker testified that the defendant had complained about his marriage.

During her testimony, the girlfriend testified that before the murder, Matthew Speck told her that he was divorcing his wife and that he and she would then “move in together to start a new life.”

Prosecutors also provided evidence showing that before the shooting, Matthew Speck “investigated homicidal strangulation, death by asphyxiation, and cyanide poisoning,” the statement states.

In addition to the life sentence without parole, Jefferson also sentenced Matthew Speck to five years each for killing his dog and possessing a gun during a violent crime. Those sentences must be executed simultaneously, that is, at the same time.

“Speck earned his sentence after his brazen betrayal and premeditation,” said Deputy Solicitor F. Alexander Myers, who prosecuted the case along with Nicholas Young.

On Wednesday, the law office posted a photo on Facebook showing Caitlin Speck and her dog, writing, “Rest in peace, Caitlin and your fur baby, Bailey Mae.”

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