Man who killed his disabled wife dies in prison

Peter Dansie’s son said “he died where he belongs”.

The Department of Corrections confirmed the 74-year-old, who was serving a life sentence, died yesterday from natural causes.

Two months ago the Appeals Court ruled once and for all that Dansie murdered his wife, Helen, by pushing her wheelchair into a shallow pond in the city’s South Parklands in 2017 because he considered her a financial burden.

For Helen’s son Grant it’s the final chapter in a seven-year saga that involved two trials – one which had to be aborted – and three appeals, going all the way to the High Court.

Dansie even fought from jail to claim half of his murdered wife’s estate for himself.

Grant, who lives overseas, told 9News he felt “relief” but also sadness, because his mum’s death was “entirely preventable”.

Dansie’s death, as with all deaths in custody, is now subject to a coronial investigation.