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Police: Aurora man killed his wife

A 56-year-old Aurora man, Carlos Nunez, has been charged with first-degree murder after authorities said he killed his wife Thursday afternoon and then tried to take his own life.

Police said they were called to the couple's home on the 400 block of South Ohio Street on the city's near east side after a relative found the couple suffering from apparent stab wounds.

Investigators said they discovered Nunez beat and choked his wife to death and then cut his own wrists and stabbed himself in the chest.

His wife, Jovita Nunez, 55, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Carlos Nunez was taken to an Aurora hospital where he is under police guard. He does not yet have a bond hearing set in Kane County, where officials say this is the county's first homicide of the year.

Authorities said he is expected to survive his injuries and the knife he used was recovered at the scene.

An autopsy on Jovita Nunez was scheduled for Friday in Kane County.

Police said the couple was in the midst of a divorce.

According to Kane County court records, Carlos Nunez filed for divorce in December 2016, citing "irreconcilable differences" from his wife. The couple married in February 1991 in Mexico, had three grown children and Carlos Nunez did not want to pay maintenance to Jovita, according to court records.

Jovita filed a counter claim, seeking maintenance from her husband and seeking to restore her last name of Betancourt after the proceedings were complete. The two sides were next due in court on May 17,

Carlos Nunez was arrested in July 1997 on misdemeanor charges of domestic battery against Jovita Nunez in the he slapped her left cheek, court records show. He later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 months of conditional discharge, which is a form of probation, and ordered to attend counseling, records show.

Carlos Nunez also was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol in Batavia in September 1997, records show. Nunez was clocked going 63 mph in a 35 mph zone on westbound on Wilson Street, records show. He pleaded guilty in February 1998 and completed supervision, records show.

No initial court date has been set for Carlos Nunez, who faces between 20 to 60 years in prison if convicted of first-degree murder.

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