Husband who flagged down passerby to call 911 and said he found his wife ‘struggling to breathe’ now charged with her murder: Cops

A Colorado man who allegedly came out of his home and flagged down a passerby to call 911, saying he found his wife on the ground struggling to breathe, is now accused of killing her.

Brian Mervin, 50, faces a first-degree murder charge for the death of the woman, who has not been identified, police said.

The alleged incident happened Monday in the 4000 block of North Adams Street in Denver, the Denver Police Department said in a news release.

Mervin flagged someone down to call 911 at 6:08 p.m., “stating he found his wife on the ground struggling to breathe,” the news release said.

Police said Mervin was in the home and appeared to be “breathing heavily and sweating profusely,” local NBC affiliate KUSA reported, citing a probable cause affidavit in his arrest.

First responders found the woman unresponsive on a bed, the probable cause affidavit said. Medical personnel noted “significant bruising and abrasions” on her neck and other injuries consistent with strangulation, the document said.

She was taken to a hospital, where she died. Coroner’s officials noted additional wounds, including scratches and bruises on her back that officials said were consistent with someone being dragged through heavy brush, the affidavit said. Her clothing was covered in dirt and debris, according to the document.

What Mervin said about the incident is unclear. The section in the document about what he allegedly told police was heavily redacted, the outlet reported. The document noted “several inconsistencies” in what he allegedly told police.

Someone heard Mervin and the victim arguing but saw no fight, the outlet reported. Two neighbors reported hearing frequent arguing between a man and woman and someone inside possibly throwing items around, the news station reported.

According to court documents, Mervin had been arrested for investigation of a domestic violence-related violation of a protection order earlier this year at the Adams Street address, local ABC affiliate KMGH reported.

Mervin is being held at the Denver County Detention Center on $1 million bond, online booking records show. He’s scheduled to appear in court on Friday.