Police: 80-year-old stabs wife to death in Kendall, goes to Publix to call police and confess

An 80-year-old man stabbed his wife to death with a knife inside their Kendall home and then went to a nearby Publix supermarket to call police and confess, according to the man's arrest report.

Abner Peckman Lawton, still wearing his bloody clothes, was arrested Sunday at the Publix at 9041 SW 107th Ave. and charged with second-degree murder.

“Domestic violence does not have an age, race or gender,’’ said Miami-Dade Det. Alvaro Zabaleta. “It affects everyone.’’

According to Lawton's report, he stabbed her “multiple times" and then left in a Chevrolet vehicle. When he got to the Publix, he used the customer service telephone to call 911.

He told the dispatcher that he was calling from Publix and “he had stabbed his wife at noon time and added that she was dead."

When officers arrived they found Lawton, "who had blood throughout his clothing.”

Meanwhile officers went to their home at 10305 SW 90th St. and found a woman, whom police have not identified, dead.

Lawton was arrested, but did not speak to detectives, instead invoking his right to an attorney.

Lawton remained in jail, being held with no bond.

"It's a tragedy whenever domestic issues reach to this level of violence," Zabaleta said. "Our hearts are with the family during these difficult times."

This story was originally published July 27, 2015 at 8:29 PM with the headline "Police: 80-year-old stabs wife to death in Kendall, goes to Publix to call police and confess."