RI man pleads guilty to murdering wife

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- A Providence man pleaded guilty to first-degree murder Wednesday in the January 2010 beating death of his wife.

As part of a plea agreement, Constantino Nardolillo will serve life in prison for the murder of Ann Marie Nardolillo.

Prosecutors say Constantino Nardolillo bludgeoned his wife to death with a hammer in their Bellevue Avenue home on January 10, 2010, then fled the scene.

The victim's 18-year-old daughter arrived home to discover her mother's body on the couch.

According to investigators, Nardolillo used his wife's stolen debit card several times after the crime.  Those transactions created a paper trail that led to his arrest at a Federal Hill apartment days later.

“I hope that this plea – and the knowledge that this brutal killer will spend his life in prison – brings a measure of comfort to the family of Ann Marie Nardolillo,” said Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Kilmartin in a news release.

“This case is a sad reminder of the devastating effects of domestic violence. I commend the Providence and Warwick Police Departments for doing a tremendous job with this investigation; their combined efforts helped bring about this guilty plea.”

Constantino Nardolillo is currently serving a six-year sentence for violating the terms of his probation. He has been held at the ACI since his 2010 arrest.