MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA (KYW Newsradio) — The Horsham boy who was strangled with a belt in his sleep last year was remembered by those who loved him Friday, as his mother was sentenced to life in prison without parole for his murder.
Daniel Whitehead spoke through what were, at times, uncontrollable sobs, saying while they were there to sentence his wife Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead for the murder of their 11-year-old son Matthew, it wasn’t about her, it was about their son.
“The grief that Mr. Whitehead is experiencing and has experienced from the morning that he found his son is unfathomable grief that no father should ever experience,” said Prosecutor Lauren Marvel.
DiRienzo-Whitehead was sentenced to life in prison without parole for strangling Matthew with her husband’s belt while he slept in the bed next to her. Prosecutors say she did it out of anger directed at her husband.
DiRienzo-Whitehead told the court she’s horrified this is how her son died, that only a monster would do something like this. She turned to her husband, repeatedly saying she was sorry.
“Her mind is tortured every second of her existence. It will be for the rest of her life,” said her lawyer, Eugene Tinari, who argued when she killed her son, DiRienzo-Whitehead was detached from reality, suffering from psychosis brought on by severe depression.
“We still feel that Ruth is not this evil monster that the District Attorney tried to paint or did paint to this court,” Tinari said.
“I hope and pray that it softens the blow for Dan and the other family members a little bit as much as it possibly could.”
DiRienzo-Whitehead’s brother Dimitry DiRienzo said, “with all of the awareness about mental health in our view, the court here didn't properly consider that. And that seems like that awareness needs to continue to make its way through the justice system.”
As she was led from the courtroom, DiRienzo-Whitehead said, “I am heartbroken and —’’
DiRienzo-Whitehead appeared to want to say more before she was led into the elevator.