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Grain Valley man convicted of murder for wife's death

Posted at 5:48 PM, Sep 11, 2019
and last updated 2019-09-11 18:48:56-04

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Grain Valley man has been convicted of first degree murder for killing his wife in January of 2016.

Jurors found 70-year-old Larry Ratliff guilty of stabbing his estranged wife, Carolyn Ratliff, to death after just 79 minutes of deliberation on Wednesday.

According to the Clay County Prosecutor's Office, Ratliff stabbed his wife multiple times at a family member's home in the 10200 block of Northeast 38th Street in Kansas City, Missouri, on Jan. 4, 2016.

The prosecutor's office said that jurors were shown a video where Ratliff detailed the murder to officers shortly after the death.

During the trial, he claimed he "inadvertently pulled a hunting knife from a sheath while trying to retrieve a cell phone" before losing control and stabbing his wife.

According to court documents 41 Action News obtained in 2016, the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department received a 911 call from a family member stating Larry Ratliff killed his wife. The documents state Ratliff also placed a 911 call and said he killed his wife.

Sentencing is set for Dec. 5.