Man Killed ‘Wonderful’ Wife in Drug-Fueled Rage as Children Slept Upstairs. Now He Learns Fate

A man has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering his wife at their family home in England.

Paul Knight, 36, admitted killing his wife, Isobella “Izzy” Knight, on June 13, 2025, while their two young daughters slept upstairs at the house on Donnington Road in Burton Latimer, Northamptonshire, according to a Northamptonshire Police press release.

During sentencing, Judge Adrienne Lucking said Knight had “lost [his] temper” and killed Isobella in a rage, the BBC reported. She added that no punishment could ease the pain caused to the couple’s children or to Isobella’s family.

In court, Prosecutor Pavlos Panayi said the motive remained unclear, aside from the allegation that Knight “exploded in anger” after taking a significant amount of cocaine, according to the BBC.

Police said that after the killing, Knight attempted to take his own life before driving away and crashing his car in a McDonald’s parking lot. Officers who responded to the collision found his behavior suspicious and decided to check his home, the press release said. There, they discovered Isobella’s body.

Investigators also said they found a note in the home that read: “If you’re reading this, I have killed myself and Izzy. I really didn’t mean to kill her. I am truly sorry but it’s due to having an addiction to cocaine and spending money I don’t have,” according to the release.

Knight pleaded guilty at Northampton Crown Court on Jan. 8, 2026, and was sentenced on Jan. 29 to life in prison. He must serve a minimum of 17 years.

In a statement shared by police after the guilty plea, Isobella’s mother, Helena, described her daughter as a “loving mother, a treasured daughter, a best friend in sister form, a talented artist, and a great friend.”

“She laughed, she cried, she worked tirelessly to provide for her children, she had dreams, and she loved hard,” she said.

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Torie Harrison of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit Major Crime Team said the sentence could never match the loss, but noted Knight would have “no hope of release until he is in his 50s,” according to the police statement.

“This is an absolutely tragic case of violence against a woman who had so many good things ahead of her,” Harrison said. “She was an amazing mum, much-loved by her family and friends, and did everything she could to live life to its fullest. Her life has been cut short in the most dreadful and unfair circumstances, and my thoughts will remain with everyone who loved her for a long time to come.”