SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — A Massachusetts man who was convicted of murdering his first wife in the 1980s has again been sentenced to prison for a "brutal and senseless" hammer attack that claimed the life of his second wife, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
Kenneth Robson, 68, of Springfield, will serve 25 years to life behind bars after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the killing of his wife, 45-year-old Quitiza Holmes, according to Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni.
During a 911 call on the morning of April 30, 2024, Robson told emergency dispatchers that he needed an ambulance because “he hit his wife with a hammer and she might be dead," Gulluni‘s office said.
After Robson surrendered to police, officers found Holmes face down in a pool of blood, suffering from catastrophic head injuries and apparent defensive wounds, according to investigators. A blood-stained hammer with a wooden handle was also said to have been recovered nearby.
Robson later blamed his actions on the effects of drugs he had ingested, reportedly telling investigators that they were not what he expected.
“This was a brutal and senseless attack that ended the life of Quitiza Holmes, a woman who should still be with her family and community today,” Gulluni said in a statement. “I want to express my deepest condolences to her loved ones.”
This was not the first time Robson stood accused of killing his spouse.
In 1984, Robson was convicted of murdering his then-wife, Joan Cusson. He was ultimately released from prison, despite outrage from the family and friends of Cusson.
“I thank the Springfield Police Department and our prosecutors for their work in holding this defendant accountable,” Gulluni added. “With today’s sentence, he will spend the remainder of his life in prison and will never again have the opportunity to harm another person.”
The Springfield Police Department’s homicide unit, under the direction of Captain Trent Duda, and the Hampden District Attorney’s murder unit, led the investigation into Holmes’ death.
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