83-Year-Old Charged In Hammer Assault

Here's WJZ's report on the Hickory Ridge attack:

Alma Payne, 81, is critical but stable after losing an eye when the man she's been married to for six decades hit her in the head more than 20 times.

Neighbors could hear Payne screaming for help inside her Satinwood Drive home. Her husband, Calvin, barricaded the front door, then hit his wife in the head with a hammer, while repeatedly saying, "Are you dead yet?"

"He beat her in the face, in the eye and the face. Some of the hands got beat up tryin' to fend off the blows, you know," said David Figueroa, the victim's brother.

Figueroa says she lost an eye as a result of the attack. Surgery is necessary to repair damage to her eye socket and all 10 fingers. Family members tell Eyewitness News Calvin, a respected deacon in his church, suffers from Alzheimer's disease. They also recall a long history of violent behavior toward his wife.

"At this point, the suspect is charged with attempted murder and assault," said Sherry Llewellyn, a Howard County police spokeswoman.

Here's the HoCo PD report:

Howard County Police arrested an 83-year-old man last night for trying to kill his wife at their home in Columbia. Calvin Ralph Payne, of the 6200 block of Satinwood Drive, is charged with attempted murder and assault for striking Alma Payne, 81, with a hammer.

The victim called 911 around 7:50 p.m. to report she had been assaulted. Patrol and tactical officers were dispatched to the scene and found the victim inside the house with a severe head injury. Officers took the woman out of the home and she was taken to Shock Trauma by helicopter.

Tactical officers found Calvin Payne with blood on his clothes and hands inside the residence. He was taken into custody and charged early this morning. Detectives have not determined a motive in the incident.

Police served a search warrant at the house overnight and found a hammer in the master bedroom covered in blood.

The victim, Alma Payne, is in serious but stable condition.