Dustin Klopp hanged himself in his cell at Lancaster County Prison in Pennsylvania on Wednesday . A Pennsylvania man accused of killing his wife with an ax on Christmas Eve and sexually assaulting her was pronounced dead after a suicide attempt . Dustin Lee Klopp , 36 , hanged himself in his cell at Lancaster County Prison on Wednesday night . The Paradise Township man was brought to the hospital and declared brain-dead because of lack of oxygen to the brain , according to the Lancaster County coroner 's office . Klopp was pronounced dead Friday . Authorities believe Klopp killed his wife , Stephanie Kilhefner , 34 , at their home after an argument . They had been married for three years . It is believed he cut her throat with a knife and repeatedly hit her in the head with an ax . When Kilhefner was dead , Klopp put her body in a bag in a shed and tried to clean up the blood . He brought their children , aged five and two , to celebrate the holiday with his parents and then called police to confess . After placing the call , Klopp arrived at the state police barracks in Lancaster about an hour later . Police believe he sexually assaulted his wife during the incident , although it is not clear if she was alive or dead at the time . Klopp was charged with criminal homicide , abuse of a corpse and evidence-tampering . The children did not see what happened , Lancaster Online reported . Police say Klopp , 36 ( left ) murdered his wife of three years , Stephanie Kilhefner , 34 , ( right ) on Christmas Eve . The killing happened at the Lancaster home ( left ) Klopp and Kilhefner ( right ) shared with their two children . Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman called the situation 'awful ' and 'chilling ' , the Huffington Post reported . He said : 'The timing makes it worse . 'Then you put kids in the mix and it makes it even more difficult . 'Christmas for them is ruined forever . It 's just terrible . ' In 2009 Klopp was arrested on drug charges and served time before being released in 2011 and marrying Kilhefner . Klopp 's criminal record also included guilty pleas for DUI , resisting arrest , burglary and simple assault .
van Klopp hanged himself at Lancaster County Prison in Pennsylvania . he was accused of murdering his wife on Christmas Eve at their home . Stephanie Kilhefner and she had two children , five and six , together . He was charged with homicide , abuse of a firearm and evidence - tampering .