Vermont Man Bludgeoned Wife to Death in Front of Their 2 Kids and Friend During Sleepover: Police

Three children were present during the alleged attack, including one who recorded audio of the violence, prosecutors said

NEED TO KNOW

• Bal Khadka, 44, pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of his wife, Lila Khadka, in Burlington, Vt.
• Three children, including the couple’s daughters, ages 3 and 10, were present during the alleged attack, and one recorded audio of the violence
• The children allegedly told investigators that their father had previously tried to kill their mother multiple times

Police accuse a Vermont man of beating his wife to death with a large flashlight in front of three children, one of whom recorded audio of the attack.

Bal Khadka, 44, appeared in court on Tuesday, Oct. 13, and pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of his wife, Lila Khadka, according to WCAX.

Police responded to the couple’s apartment on South Champlain Street in Burlington around 6 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, and found Lila unresponsive in bed with severe head injuries, according to WPTZ and WCAX.

She was transported to the University of Vermont Medical Center, where she died Sunday evening.

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The couple’s daughters, ages 3 and 10, were home at the time of the alleged attack, along with a 10-year-old friend who had spent the night, WCAX reported.

According to court documents cited by WCAX, the children told investigators that Bal had been using drugs and accusing his wife of infidelity.

One of the children began recording audio of the alleged attack on a phone.

“The audio recording is one of the worst things I think I’ve ever heard,” Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George told WCAX.

George described the circumstances of Lila’s death as particularly disturbing.

“I’m not sure tragedy even covers it. Just really, really horrific,” she told the outlet.

“The fact that this was done in front of his own 3-year-old and 10-year-old and then another 10-year-old — the lasting impacts that this will have on them and just the callous nature of doing it in front of children certainly, from the state’s perspective, is an aggravating factor,” George continued.

Court documents also indicate that Bal had previously been convicted of several offenses, including violating an abuse prevention order, violating conditions of release and driving under the influence, according to WCAX.

The children allegedly told police that their father had tried to kill their mother multiple times before.

George said at least one previous domestic violence case had been dropped, telling WCAX that Lila did not want to participate in the prosecution.

“At least one of the previous cases, Lila did not want to participate in the prosecution. And the state cannot prove cases without witnesses and victims testifying,” George told the outlet.

Bal was initially charged with attempted murder before the charge was upgraded following his wife’s death, according to WPTZ.

He is being held without bail at Northwest State Correctional Facility, per the outlets; the children are now staying with family members, George told WCAX.