MELBOURNE – Anastasios Karatzas, age 70, was found guilty on June 25 of murdering his wife, Georgia, by strangling with an extension cord in their home in Melbourne on November 20, 2017, 9news.com reported.

Mrs. Karatzas, 68, was found dead by her elderly mother who lived with the couple. Mr. Karatzas reportedly suffers from depression, fled the scene, and was arrested at his sister’s home the next day.

The couple had been married for 50 years before the tragedy unfolded.

According to 9news.com, Karatzas’ lawyer “Patrick Tehan QC asked the jury to find the killer guilty of manslaughter rather than murder, arguing the septuagenarian loved his wife deeply.”

The jury, however, found Karatzas guilty of the more serious charge.

Karatzas will be back in court on July 24 for a pre-sentence plea hearing, 9news.com reported.