article_snippet: Donald Rowland pleaded guilty in Boone County Circuit Court Monday to first-degree involuntary manslaughter.
article_snippet: Donald Rowland sentencing has been scheduled for April 13.
article_snippet: Donald Rowland was originally charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of Donald Rowland wife, Betty Rowland, but prosecutors reduced those charges last month.
article_snippet: Tragic couple: Donald Rowland (left), 88, has pleaded guilty to first-degree involuntary manslaughter in the October 2014 stabbing death of his ailing 86-year-old wife of 64 years, Betty Rowland (right)
article_snippet: Police say Donald Rowland told officers Donald Rowland killed his ailing 86-year-old wife and tried to take Donald Rowland own life, because Donald Rowland didn't want officers to be a burden on officers family.
article_snippet: A neighbor told the Columbia Daily Tribune that Donald Rowland had recently had a stroke.
article_snippet: Appearing in court Monday in a striped jail garb and accompanied by Donald Rowland attorney, Donald Rowland only answered 'yes' and 'no' in response to Judge Kevin Crane's questions.
article_snippet: Donald Rowland suffered two fatal stab wounds to the chest and was pronounced dead at the scene.
article_snippet: Donald Rowland husband of 64 years was taken to University Hospital with self-inflicted injuries, according to a probable cause affidavit.
highlights_snippet: Donald Rowland, pleaded guilty to first-degree involuntary manslaughter in wife Betty's October 2014 death .
  
highlights_snippet: Betty Rowland, Donald's wife of 64 years and grandmother of 13, had had a stroke not long before wife Betty killing .