Gilbert man sentenced to 25 years in prison for wife’s murder in 2017

GILBERT, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- After two months of trial, a Gilbert man was sentenced for murdering his wife six years ago. On Friday, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Michael Blair sentenced 42-year-old Mark Eric Ponsati to 25 years in prison for killing his wife in 2017. Ponsati was charged with one count of second-degree murder and will serve his time in the Arizona Department of Corrections.

“I have been waiting for five years and eight months to speak about my precious daughter. The pain is indescribable, especially when I heard about all the injuries she received,” said the victim’s mother during the sentencing.

In Sept. 2017, Gilbert police were called to a home near Baseline and Greenfield roads after Ponsati called 911, saying his wife, Sherri, had slipped on the bathroom floor and hit her head. She was taken to a hospital, where she died. However, the medical examiner’s office later revealed a slip and fall did not cause Sherri’s injuries as Ponsati had claimed. Instead, the medical examiner said Sherri had blunt force injuries, rib fractures, skull fractures, spine and brain bruising and a large cut on the back of her head. Investigators also found Ponsati staged and tampered with evidence.

“This two-month trial concluded today with the maximum sentence for this defendant, and this means a sense of closure and justice for the family and friends who cared deeply for this victim,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “To the prosecutor and the victim advocates who worked tirelessly to bring justice to this family, I commend them because their work fulfills the duty bestowed upon this office: to hold criminals accountable and bring justice to victims.”

For the first time since Sherri was killed, her father spoke to Arizona’s Family on Friday. “It’s been the roughest, bumpiest road I’ve ever had to go down,” Paul Springhuth said. “It’s an experience you can’t put into words. It’s just horrible.”

Springhuth says Sherri moved to Arizona from Wisconsin because of her husband’s job. He said their marriage had issues, but never thought it could have ended in violence. Springhuth says he feels justice was served. “It’s very helpful with the closure the results today couldn’t have been better. It’s what we hoped for.”

The sentencing also brings closure for the family who for almost six years has felt a void in their lives. Springhuth says he thinks about his daughter multiple times everyday. “Sherri we miss you, we love you, hopefully you’re looking down and happy today,” Springhuth said. “Hopefully this is good justice for you.”

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