Boone man, apparently left for dead for 2 days after stabbing, had history of domestic abuse allegations

A Boone woman is charged with murder in the stabbing death of the man she lived with and had repeatedly accused of domestic abuse, police said Wednesday.

Police officers met with Mary Myers, 59, on Tuesday night at the Boone police station, where she told them that she had stabbed Joe Wirth, 65, during a fight, according to a news release.

Police and state agents went to her home in the 300 block of State Street to investigate and found Wirth dead with multiple stab wounds. Investigators think the killing happened Sunday night, the news release said.

Officers found stab wounds near Wirth's right shoulder blade and left collarbone and cuts on the back of his hands, according to a criminal complaint.

Investigators believe Myers showed premeditation because she planned to "not flee any future altercations with Wirth," according to a criminal complaint. She further showed premeditation by obtaining an edged weapon, not alerting anyone about the incident for 48 hours and made attempts to clean the scene, according to the criminal complaint. Myers also did laundry in the same room where Wirth's body lay.

Myers has been charged with first-degree murder and jailed.

State court records include numerous cases where Wirth was accused of domestic abuse.

Two involved allegations in the past year. On Jan. 23, 2017, Wirth was charged with domestic abuse assault after he punched Myers in the mouth, causing an injury inside her inner lip, according to a criminal complaint. The charge was dropped because a prosecutor could not get in contact with Myers after several attempts.

On Sept. 18, Wirth was charged with third-offense domestic abuse and harassment, and a month later was charged with violating a no-contact order. However, all the charges were dismissed after Myers failed to show up to court hearings.

Wirth also has been convicted of alcohol and drug offenses.

Over the past seven years, Myers filed for relief from domestic abuse from Wirth several times. Such petitions are used by domestic abuse victims to keep alleged abusers out of shared residences and nearby areas.

The first two requests for relief from domestic abuse occurred in August and September 2011, but the petitions were dismissed when Myers didn’t show up to court, according to court documents.

The next petition for relief from domestic abuse was filed by Myers on Aug. 24, 2012, according to court documents.

In the document, Myers wrote that she and Wirth were "intimate" and living with each other in the 800 block of West Second Street in Boone.

She wrote that Wirth threatened her “with his fists” and threatened to kick her out of their residence, according to court documents. She also wrote he threatened “to bash my head.” Myers wrote that he jumped on her back, threatened her with his “posse” and that he strangled “my throat box.” She also wrote that he left bruises “all over my breasts.”

In her request, she wrote that she would like Wirth and “his posse” to stop threatening her.

On Sept. 4, 2012, a judge gave Myers a temporary protection order. However on Oct. 1, a letter written by Myers was filed, asking for an end to the protection order.

“I’m very sorry for everything,” Myers wrote, according to court documents. “I love him very much and I want to have this order dropped. Thank you very much.” The order was dismissed.

Myers filed a petition for relief from domestic abuse again on Sept. 27, 2017.

Myers alleged that Wirth sexually assaulted her and told her he was going to throw her out of the house. When she told him she was going to call the police, he allegedly told her he was going to “murder” her and “she was going to hell and he was going free,” according to court documents.

She said that he went to the kitchen twice that night to grab a knife and threaten to kill her, according to court documents.

Myers then requested the protection order be dismissed, writing, “I will be safe. Joe and I have reconciled and recommitted our lives to our faith and each other.”

Myers herself was arrested and charged with criminal mischief and assault causing bodily injury on Sept. 1, 2017, after authorities accused her of hitting a woman at a bar.

An autopsy of Wirth is scheduled for Thursday, police said.