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Arkansas man accused of murdering wife in November 2017 after she changed the TV channel from a football game - Representational image PROOffice of Public Affairs/ Flickr Commons

An Arkansas man accused of murdering his wife in November 2017 has been charged with capital murder on Monday, 8 January.

Tony Thomas had allegedly killed Elke on 19 November after she changed the TV channel from a football game while he went outside for a smoke. An affidavit filed against him stated that after coming back from the smoke break, Thomas asked his wife about the game's score but his wife began yelling at him and an argument arose.

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"He claimed he'd blacked out and when he 'came to', he was over her with a knife in his hands," Lonoke County Sheriff's Detective Anthony Counts wrote in the affidavit.

The document added that soon after the stabbing, the 58-year-old accused called the authorities and asked the dispatcher for a "meat wagon and police" because he'd killed his wife.

Arkansas Online reported that the authorities arrived at the scene in the 2000 block of Hamilton Loop in Carlisle after a witness who had been at the home during the incident ran outside and informed someone to call the police. The affidavit mentioned that the witness had "heard glass break, and when she went into the living room she saw Tony stabbing Elke".

Investigators found Elke's body in the backyard, partially covered with a blanket and tarp, while Thomas was sitting beside it. A knife was also discovered near the body. "He admitted to dragging her outside and calling the sheriff's office," the affidavit stated.

Since then he has been in jail and his bond is set at $1m (£738820), the Daily Mail reported.

Meanwhile, it was reported that Thomas is not new to authorities as his criminal records date back to 1988 when he was convicted of manslaughter, sexual abuse and failure to register as a sex offender.

A month before her death, Elke had requested an order of protection from her husband after he allegedly grabbed her. But it was denied for "insufficient proof".

In her plea, the woman had written of Tony: "I am afraid he will hurt me more than he did."