James Hill, a 77-year-old retired Ohio State professor, received a life sentence for stabbing his wife to death at their Upper Arlington home in November 2025.

Franklin County Common Pleas Judge David Young sentenced Hill on Oct. 28 after Hill pleaded guilty to one count of murder in the death of Mary Kathleen Hill, 64. Hill also pleaded guilty to harming a companion animal and received a one-year sentence to be served at the same time, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

Court documents describe Hill’s explanation for the killing. Hill told police he had exchanged nude photographs with a woman he met through an online dating site. The woman then demanded $15,000 and threatened to release the photographs publicly if he did not pay, according to court records cited by Law & Crime.

Hill told police he could not think of any other way out of the situation except to kill his wife and himself.

The charges stem from a Nov. 9, 2025, incident at the couple's home in the 1500 block of Fishinger Road. Upper Arlington police responded to a 911 hang-up call at about 2:32 p.m. and found Mary Hill with a stab wound to the chest, according to a police statement. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Court records state Hill was unable to locate a firearm in the home. He obtained a kitchen knife and went into the home office where his wife was working. He began rubbing her shoulders before stabbing her once in the chest, court documents state.

Hill then tried to stab the couple's dog, but the animal ran away. He deleted photographs and documents from his computer, stabbed himself in the chest and called 911. Sources differ on whether he stabbed himself before or after the 911 call.

Police found Hill inside the home with injuries. He was transported to a local hospital in stable condition.

Hill had originally been charged with aggravated premeditated murder. The court credited him with 352 days of time served.

The Upper Arlington Police Division investigated the case with assistance from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).

Hill will be 91 before he is first eligible for parole.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.