ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Although he didn't say much in court when he admitted to murdering his wife and dumping her body in the ocean last November, Ben Lightsey had plenty to say to investigators in a 121-page confession obtained by Channel 4 on Friday.
According to the confession, Lightsey told investigators the November day he killed his wife, Melissa Lightsey, began like any other. "We were kissing and loving all over each other, like we always were ... We didn't think anything was going to come of that that night," Lightsey said in his confession.
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The night ended in murder.
Lightsey stated they attended a wedding and reception in St Augustine and had been drinking, but he said he found his wife during the reception in a restroom doing cocaine. That's when he said he got angry.
According to his confession, Lightsey said he, "grabbed Melissa's hair and I pulled her back and I said, 'Get over here.' I took Melissa out of the bathroom and from there it's all fuzzy."
Lightsey said he drove to his house. He said his wife passed out in the back of the truck.
He told investigators that when they got home he became angry. He stated in his confession, "I mean, I couldn't control myself. Like I said, I had this feeling over me where it was just like my heart was overflowing with rage or something. I had no control and when I was swinging, it was not me. I hit her a couple of times -- two or three times. I hit her in her face, and I think she was out cold."
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Lightsey said he panicked and put her back in the truck and drove to the ocean, and then put her to the water.
"I was holding on to her. Finally, I kissed her and hugged her and I just kind of let her go -- pushed her off and let her go," Lightsey said in his confession.
From there he drove to his parent's home. He told investigators he woke them up and said, "I did something wrong. I need to tell you I did something. I need some money. I told him me and Melissa got in a fight and they said, 'Where is she?' and I said, 'I don't know.'"
He said he never told his father he killed Melissa. Lightsey said his dad took him to an attorney who said they needed to go back and look to see if Melissa was alive. Lightsey said he took his father to a different site to look for his wife, and then his father called police to say she was missing.
Lightsey said he made up the story about her going for a swim. Melissa Lightsey's body was recovered the next day.
Earlier this month, Lightsey pleaded guilty under a deal with prosecutors and will serve 25 years.
One of last things in his confession includes Lightsey saying, "I love my wife, and I always will, and I know she still loves me, no matter what. That's it."