James Lutgen of East Dubuque, Illinois strangled his wife in December 1984 at their home in Menominee, Illinois in front of their two daughters. They were 10 and 12 years old at the time. She had filed for divorce and an emergency order of protection, but was killed before receiving a response. The Lutgens got into a fight after Ms. Lutgen refused to allow the children to go out shopping with their father. James Lutgen testified that his wife had attempted to strangle him, and that he had then choked her until she died. Lutgen pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and received a 4-year prison sentence, of which he served 13 months.