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Long Island man allegedly strangled ex-wife after she told him she was pregnant

Posted at 10:49 AM, Jan 30, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-30 11:49:14-05

SOUTH FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- A Long Island man has been arrested in the murder of his ex-wife who was found suffocated in her home earlier in January, police said.

According to officials, Michael Owen, 27, was arrested Tuesday and is being charged with second degree murder in the death of 27-year-old Kelly Owen.

Police said at a press conference Wednesday they believe Owen went to his ex-wife's South Farmingdale home on Jan. 15 to strangle her after she had told him she was pregnant with their baby.

It is not currently clear if the two were officially divorced or just separated.

According to police, the separated couple had been arguing about health insurance for some time, with Kelly Owen apparently wanting to be put on her estranged husband's plan and him refusing to do so.

Authorities said they believe the two argued after after she informed him she was pregnant because he did not want the baby.

Kelly Owen was found dead in her home around 3:40 p.m. on Jan. 15 after a 911 call came in for a woman not breathing, police said at the time.

Officials said the medical examiner determined Owen's cause of death to be asphyxiation and her death was investigated as a criminal homicide.

Michael Owen, of St. James, was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday at First District Court in Hempstead, police said.

This story was originally published by Mark Sundstrom at WPIX.