A 71-year-old man from Wisconsin has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term for the murder of his wife, an act he committed after enduring what he described as her incessant talking. After the crime, he attempted to hide her remains in a cornfield and later expressed surprise that the police hadn’t found her yet.

On Friday, Gordon Charles Laakso received a sentence of 14 years in prison, followed by six years of probation, from the St. Croix County Circuit Court. This ruling came after he pleaded guilty to first-degree reckless homicide in September. Initially, Laakso faced charges that included first-degree intentional homicide, domestic abuse by strangulation and suffocation, and concealing a corpse, all related to the death of his wife, 68-year-old Mary Laakso, in New Richmond, Wisconsin.

A statement from the authorities highlighted the diligence of the New Richmond Police Department and other law enforcement agencies in securing a conviction. “While we regret such tragic events in our community, the efficient investigative work led to a robust prosecution, ensuring justice for Mary’s death,” the release noted. “Our condolences go to Mary’s family and friends, and we hope this sentencing provides some closure.”

According to earlier reports from Law&Crime, the incident first came to light on March 2 when officers were alerted to a potential domestic disturbance at the Laakso residence. A 911 call indicated that Gordon Laakso had made troubling comments suggesting he might have harmed his wife.

Police visited the home on Bluff Border Road but could not locate Mary Laakso or reach her by phone. It wasn’t until over two hours later that her body was discovered at the edge of a cornfield in a rural section of Polk County, situated to the north of New Richmond.

A criminal complaint obtained by Eau Claire NBC affiliate WEAU said when cops made initial contact with the suspect, he claimed his wife “rambled” at him for seven hours and then started hitting him. He said things got out of hand but didn’t know what else to say to cops, according to the affidavit.

Gordon Laakso additionally stated he knew his wife was dead and instead of taking her to the hospital he panicked and dumped her body. Then, he began packing a suitcase and told cops he was going with them. During a search of the home, cops allegedly found bloody gloves and several firearms.

When detectives asked him where she was, he allegedly responded, “Oh, you didn’t find her?” Asked to clarify, he said “she’s dead.”