Man sentenced after strangling wife, telling police she 'wanted him' to so 'she could stop being a wh--e'

PENN TOWNSHIP, Penn. (TCN) -- A man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for strangling his wife to death, whose body was found by her young daughter.

The Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office announced that 49-year-old Matthew Harrison pleaded guilty on July 23 to first-degree murder and strangulation in connection with the death of his wife, 49-year-old Jami Harrison. Judge Jeffrey Conrad subsequently sentenced Harrison to life in prison plus five to 10 years.

In imposing the sentence, Conrad reportedly told the defendant that he "had a duty to love, honor, and protect" his wife but instead, "acted with malice and hatred and committed 'one of the most cowardly acts a man can do' by killing a woman."

According to prosecutors, Matthew Harrison fatally strangled his wife at their home on Feb. 5, 2024. The victim’s 11-year-old daughter reportedly discovered the body later that day.

One of Jami Harrison’s older daughters purportedly made an impact statement and called Matthew Harrison a "coward." The district attorney’s office said the daughter claimed she and her sisters "had hoped Harrison could be a father figure to them," but she alleged that he was abusive toward his wife.

Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick read a list of "vulgar and degrading" text messages Harrison sent his wife days before her death. Harrison allegedly sent other texts to relatives and co-workers suggesting he planned to kill the victim.

Following his arrest, Harrison told authorities that "he believed Jami wanted him to kill her 'so she could stop being a wh--e,'" and he thought he had "set her free."

Harrison reportedly apologized for his actions and said "there was nothing he could say to help the situation."

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