80-year-old man charged with murdering woman inside a North Fort Myers home

NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. — An 80-year-old North Fort Myers man has been arrested in connection to the murder of a woman. On Sunday, the Lee County Sheriff's Office responded to a call for service from neighbors. Deputies learned while heading to the call that a man had taken a woman's life and was threatening to take his own. When they arrived, deputies say Richard Scharf was found inside of his car located in the home's garage. He was asked to exit his car, and then arrested. The Lee County Sheriff's Office says they found an unresponsive woman in the bedroom. Life-saving measures were performed, but unsuccessful. Investigators say they learned the man and woman were undergoing both medical and financial hardships. Richard Scharf, deputies say, intended to put the victim out of suffering and suffocated her while she was asleep. Scharf was ultimately charged with 2nd Degree Murder and transported to the Lee County Jail.