Theophilus pleaded guilty after the 911 tape was played for the jury. In the recording, he admitted to the slaying. He is to spend 40 years in prison before eligibility for parole.

Theophilus, according to reports, after the murder took his children to a motel, ordered pizza, ate with them after which he called 911 to report the incident. He stated he had killed his wife and she was in their home in the 5400 block of Barcelona Drive in Garland.

Garland Police and Fire personnel responded to the Barcelona address where they found Theophilus' wife dead in one of the bedrooms. Both Mesquite and Garland Police responded to the Motel in Mesquite where the caller was and he was arrested without incident. Child Protective Services(CPS) was called to take custody and care of the children.

In 2004 Melvina's mother, who was visiting, died allegedly under questionable circumstances in the same house where her daughter was later murdered.

Edmund Neboh, a cousin of late Melvina Ojukwu made a very emotional statement after the verdict and sentencing. He praised the U.S. justice system, saying the life sentence imposed on Theophilus would send a strong message to African immigrants that wife killers would not get away with the crime.

Theophilus Ojukwu