Brian James was charged with murdering Carol James, also 81, who was found dead at their home on Dunwich Road on November 15.
But Mr James, who had not yet enter pleas, died whilst he was a prisoner at HMP Elmley on February 23.
It had been alleged that Mr James believed both he and his wife were infected with hookworm, but she would continue to go out.
On the morning of November 15, Mrs James was intending to go to a hair appointment, when the defendant allegedly tried to prevent her by hitting her with a pan and then throttling her.
During the attack, she got hold of the saucepan and hit him over the head with it, it is claimed.
Police responded to a 999 call to the property at 8.22am and found Mrs James collapsed in bed.
Police and paramedics carried out chest compressions but she was pronounced dead at 9.10am.
Prosecutor Nicholas Hearn said the cause of Mrs James’s death was compression of the neck.
The defendant was treated in hospital for a head injury before being taken to Lewisham Police Station and charged with murder.
Mr James was remanded in custody at HMP Elmley but never appeared in court as he was not deemed to be in a fit state.
A plea hearing was listed for March and a seven day trial was listed for September.
But on Monday (March 24) at a mention hearing at Woolwich Crown Court, it was revealed that Mr James had died a month earlier.
Judge Nicholas Heathcote Williams KC formally brought the proceedings against Mr James to an end.
A Prisons and Probation Ombudsman investigation is underway.
