Mom Finds Out Her Son Is A Cannibal Killer

[00:00:00]He's like mom, lay with me. You know, it was so much going on. There were like 60 cops here.

[00:00:04]>> This is the mother of 19-year-old Austin Harrouff, Nina. Mere moments before this interview, Nina had to watch as her son not only killed two innocent people, but devoured them.

[00:00:14]>> The teenager killed a husband and wife and the man's >> I don't know how to do this. My son, he's um taken off. It seems like he's a little delusional.

[00:00:24]>> For months, Austin had been showing signs of slowly losing himself.

[00:00:28]>> Austin told him the devil told him to do it like 6 months ago. That's what he He's been reading religious stuff lately. I really really read a lot of stuff.

[00:00:37]>> And two people now dead and one fighting for his life, Austin's parents will realize their son is a cannibal.

[00:00:43]>> I see.

[00:00:44]>> What the hell are you doing?

[00:00:45]>> The vodka and cannibalism goes hand in hand.

[00:00:52]>> It's around 10:00 p.m. on August 15, 2016. Another beautiful night in Martin County, Florida, one of the wealthiest in the state. But Nina Harrouff, the mother of Austin Harrouff, is growing increasingly concerned about her son.

[00:01:06]After days of disturbing behavior, the 19-year-old stormed out of a family meal at Duffy's Sports Grill about an hour earlier and hasn't been seen since.

[00:01:16]Worried for his safety, Nina calls 911.

[00:01:20]But little does she know it's far too late. Because as she soon discovers, it's not Austin's safety she should be worried about, it's everyone else's.

[00:01:30]>> Um yes, I need to I don't know how to do this. My son, he's um kind of taken off and I'm concerned about his own safety.

[00:01:43]It seems like he's a little um delusional or um he's wearing white shorts and he had a blue polo on and a red hat.

[00:01:53]Make America great again. And he was out to dinner with his dad today, and he took off.

[00:01:59]And we just you know, he was with his sister and he says, you know, he's feels immortal and um like a superhero. So, I'm just I don't know what's going on with him.

[00:02:12]>> Nina has every reason to be concerned because just half an hour earlier, what's going on with Austin is one of the worst and strangest crimes in the state's history. And when it comes to Florida, that's saying something.

[00:02:26]Jeff Fisher is home in bed when he hears a bloodcurdling scream coming from his neighbors across the street. He looks out the window only to see a frantic-eyed Austin Harrouff viciously attacking Michelle Stevens, a woman he has absolutely no connection to.

[00:02:41]Jeff runs to her rescue and finds both Michelle and her husband John Stevens gravely wounded and Austin offering a chilling warning.

[00:02:50]>> He turned and looked at me and said, "You want no part of this. You want no part of me." One of the two.

[00:02:56]And then from his right hand swung.

[00:03:00]>> But it's too late.

[00:03:02]Austin attacks him with a knife inflicting serious life-threatening wounds.

[00:03:07]Jeff still manages to flee to his home and call police, but by now multiple calls are flooding in. And as police rush to Southeast Kokomo Lane, they stumble into a scene straight out of The Walking Dead.

[00:03:20]Austin, shirtless, barefoot, and totally detached from reality, sits on top of John growling like an animal biting him. Officers' commands are ignored and pepper spray and tasers have little effect. In the end, it takes multiple officers and a canine unit to take Austin into custody. And as he's finally pulled away, he makes a chilling claim.

[00:03:42]"Help me," he tells the sergeant. "I ate something bad."

[00:03:47]When the sergeant asks what, he coldly He "Humans."

[00:03:53]John Stevens is pronounced dead at the scene, and Michelle dies at the hospital a short time later, but Jeff Fisher miraculously survives his severe injuries.

[00:04:02]Austin's admitted to the ICU, where he's heavily sedated and treated for extensive injuries of his own, including dog bites from canines.

[00:04:10]Now, with an entire state shocked by an inexplicable crime, everyone wants to know one thing.

[00:04:16]Why?

[00:04:18]Only Austin knows, but as police wait to speak with him, and doctors wait for the results of a toxicology test, detectives speak with his devastated parents, Nina and Wade, to fill in the pieces of this bizarre and shocking crime.

[00:04:31]>> My name is Eugene Marqueda. I'm Martin County Sheriff's Office. I'm the detective that's handling the investigation. He's from the state attorney's office, Jeff Handley.

[00:04:39]Okay?

[00:04:40]Um I know it's a terrible situation, um but I just uh I want to ask you some questions uh about the night and the incident happened. Um when was the last time you saw him?

[00:04:58]>> 8:20.

[00:04:59]>> At 8:20? [snorts] >> Something like that.

[00:05:01]>> Okay. Where did you see him?

[00:05:03]>> That's when I dropped him off at Duffy's.

[00:05:05]>> You dropped him off at Duffy's? Okay.

[00:05:07]Where did you drop him off with?

[00:05:09]>> I I just dropped him off in front of the door and he walked in.

[00:05:12]>> What was he wearing when you dropped him off?

[00:05:15]>> Um some white shorts >> Mhm.

[00:05:19]>> and a blue polo >> blue shirt. Okay. That's when you dropped him off?

[00:05:23]Okay. Um was he at Duffy's already or >> I was at home earlier.

[00:05:31]Like 7:00.

[00:05:32]>> Uh >> And he knocked on the door.

[00:05:34]>> Uh-huh.

[00:05:35]>> Um >> [snorts] >> And I opened it and he walks in and he's just in his shorts and a sweaty >> Mhm.

[00:05:43]>> white shirt.

[00:05:45]>> What color was that shirt?

[00:05:47]>> He didn't have a shirt on.

[00:05:48]>> Oh, he didn't have a shirt.

[00:05:50]>> I think earlier in the day he may have had a white shirt a white jersey. I I don't remember.

[00:05:56]>> Okay.

[00:05:59]And when he knocked on your door, what did he say?

[00:06:01]>> He didn't say. He just came in and I said, "Where is Haley and Sam?" Cuz I knew he was out with them.

[00:06:08]And he says, "I don't know."

[00:06:11]And I mean I don't know exactly the channel that's that's for me.

[00:06:15]>> Mhm.

[00:06:16]>> Going to the kitchen.

[00:06:17]>> Yeah, and it's >> And then cuz I was cooking dinner.

[00:06:20]>> Okay.

[00:06:21]>> Said, "Are you hungry?" And he's like, "Yes."

[00:06:25]And I think I was in the refrigerator and I look over and he's got a uh a little a jug, but a container of Listerine.

[00:06:44]And he's staring at the Listerine. He's like like he's about to drink it.

[00:06:49]>> Mhm.

[00:06:50]>> And I just turned and said, "That's not a drink." And I grabbed it from him and put it on the counter. I said, "That's Listerine."

[00:06:55]>> Mhm.

[00:06:56]>> And he turned around and I don't know if the phone rang and Haley's calling me.

[00:07:04]But I I mean I do notice him getting a bowl and he gets mozzarella cheese.

[00:07:10]And he puts a little bit of the oil in it and takes a couple of bites.

[00:07:14]>> Okay.

[00:07:15]>> And Haley's calling me asking if Austin's there.

[00:07:21]>> Where was Haley where was she calling from?

[00:07:23]>> Duffy's.

[00:07:24]>> She was at Duffy's.

[00:07:27]>> And I said, "Yeah, what happened?" And she's like, "He He left."

[00:07:35]So I'm like, "Austin, why did you leave?" He goes, "I don't know."

[00:07:39]I said, "Come on. Why did you leave?" He goes, "I didn't want to wait."

[00:07:42]>> Mhm.

[00:07:43]>> I said, and then I said, "Well, is the food ready?" And they're like, "Yes, have him come back and eat something."

[00:07:51]So, I said, "Do you want to go back and eat something?" And he's like, "Okay."

[00:07:55]And I don't know where he went to get his shirt. I want to say it was the back bedroom by our bedroom.

[00:08:03]>> [snorts] >> And he got a polo shirt and put it on.

[00:08:08]And I guess I got the keys and left.

[00:08:12]>> Nina's clearly in shock, but she's still able to give detectives a detailed timeline of the evening. While she was at home, her ex-husband Wade and children were out to dinner at Duffy's Sports Bar. But out of nowhere, Austin arrived back home and began acting strangely. He wasn't wearing a shirt and attempted to drink vegetable oil straight from the jar. Nina drove him back to the restaurant, but minutes later Austin vanished yet again.

[00:08:36]Now at a loss, the family did the only thing they thought they could do, call 911 and begin searching themselves.

[00:08:44]Unfortunately, it was already too late.

[00:08:47]>> You you called 911 later on that night um and you said that he was missing.

[00:08:53]Um >> Well, I guess when he took off the second time >> Mhm.

[00:08:58]>> they called me I don't know when they called me and said, "Is Austin there?" And I said, "No, what happened?" Well, he took off again.

[00:09:05]>> Mhm.

[00:09:06]>> Um whatever altercation he had with his dad.

[00:09:11]>> Was he angry at his dad?

[00:09:12]>> I don't know. I don't know.

[00:09:15]Um >> Do you remember the 911 call you made?

[00:09:22]>> I don't know.

[00:09:23]>> Okay. In in that call uh you said uh he's walking down Island Way.

[00:09:28]Um he has all he has on him is a knife um and he's acting schizophrenic acting weird. Do [snorts] you remember >> I don't >> saying he's got schizophrenia, maybe. I don't know. I And I said to Bud, "Let's go look for him."

[00:09:44]And my friend keeps calling and saying, you know, "Sam is worried about him."

[00:09:50]I said, "Well, which way did he go? Does Sam remember which way he went?" And they're telling me like he's walking towards Church Street.

[00:09:59]>> [snorts] >> So, by that time of night, I said, "Well, he has to be somewhere if he's walking that way. Let's go take a look around. Maybe he's walking to Alex's, his best friend." [clears throat] >> Where does Alex live?

[00:10:15]>> On the Watauga River.

[00:10:16]>> Okay.

[00:10:17]>> And I called his mom and they're like, "No, we haven't seen him." So, I would So, um we get in the car.

[00:10:30]I mean, I don't know what detail you want.

[00:10:32]>> No, I I just want what you remember and what >> Okay.

[00:10:35]>> And I asked the detectives or whoever they were, the police, you know, um have you seen my son?

[00:10:46]I said, "He's wearing white shorts and a blue polo shirt."

[00:10:49]And yeah, there was so much going on.

[00:10:51]There were like 50 cops there.

[00:10:53]>> Sure.

[00:10:53]>> And he's asked his sergeant, you know, "Hold on."

[00:10:58]And they said, "Well, do you know an ID?" And I said, "No. Um I don't think he knows an ID."

[00:11:03]>> Do you know uh the Stevens >> family?

[00:11:05]>> You don't know if you've met them. Okay.

[00:11:07]What about the Fisher family? Do you have Have you Do you know anyone on that block?

[00:11:10]>> No.

[00:11:11]>> Okay. Um does he know anyone on that >> Not that I know of.

[00:11:14]>> Not that you know. Um so, you you mentioned on your 911 call that he's acting schizophrenic. Is there any history in your family of schizophrenia on your side of the family? Any sign of mental illness on your side of the family?

[00:11:27]>> I mean, we always teased that my brother was mentally >> What What did he ever get treated? No medicine? What about your son? Did you ever treat him for any >> No.

[00:11:37]>> No, okay. Um, how was he doing in school prior to >> Perfect.

[00:11:41]>> Cuz yeah, he did he did a summer semester and I understand he did very well in it. Okay. Um >> I I don't even think he told me his grades cuz I keep asking him.

[00:11:51]>> Mhm.

[00:11:51]>> So I could transfer them and uh Sorry.

[00:11:56]>> Okay.

[00:11:57]And what about his fraternity brothers that were in the neighborhood who'd look out for him? Did they mention anything to you that uh he's acting strange?

[00:12:04]>> Nobody has.

[00:12:05]>> There's many reasons why this case stands out to cops, namely the cannibalism. But what's even more shocking is that their suspect isn't a drug-crazed felon with a known history of mental illness. He's a frat bro majoring in exercise science at Florida State.

[00:12:20]So then what could have possibly led to his depraved acts? And what warning signs were missed along the way?

[00:12:26]While the toxicology report shows no alcohol or drugs in Austin's body at the time of the murders, could his recent use of psychedelics have caused a slow-simmering psychotic break?

[00:12:36]And if watching detectives pick apart psychos like Austin is your thing, subscribe. It helps us bring you more videos exactly like this.

[00:12:44]>> Also on your 911 call, they asked you if he's on drugs and you had mentioned that yes, he has been on drugs, but you don't know if he's been on drugs lately. Do you know what kind of drugs he was on?

[00:12:53]>> I mean, I know he did >> Okay.

[00:12:58]>> Um >> Did he do an excessive amount or was it just social if you could even call it social or >> I don't know. I I mean, he hung out in his room.

[00:13:10]>> Okay.

[00:13:11]>> So >> Dad Dad said that uh about 2 months ago, he also found him doing Do you know anything about that?

[00:13:19]>> I don't know if anybody found him doing He said >> Mhm.

[00:13:25]>> When you made him clean everything out.

[00:13:29]He >> brought much the I didn't see it, but I let Bud talk to him so he wasn't embarrassed >> Mhm. Sure.

[00:13:37]>> in front of me.

[00:13:38]>> Sure.

[00:13:39]>> And he brought the bag out and and Bud says, you know, you know, like just a one or half, I don't know.

[00:13:50]And I asked him when was the last time he did it. He goes, I don't know, maybe 2 months ago.

[00:13:54]>> Okay. What was his relationship with his girlfriend? Did he have a girlfriend in school? Yeah. Did you ever meet her?

[00:13:59]>> Yes.

[00:13:59]>> What kind of person is she?

[00:14:01]>> Wonderful.

[00:14:01]>> Yeah, she's a good person. Have you been in contact with her recently?

[00:14:04]>> Yeah.

[00:14:04]>> Okay. Did she mention anything about violence or >> No, but just a change.

[00:14:09]>> Mhm. What kind [clears throat] of change? I mean, I saw his videos. It's like he's acting silly, talking in Australian voice.

[00:14:16]>> That's how he always was.

[00:14:17]>> Okay.

[00:14:18]>> And so and I tell him, you know, take those down. They're silly. You know, you're You're making a spectacle out of yourself.

[00:14:27]>> Mhm.

[00:14:27]>> [snorts] >> But I never and I didn't watch them, you know, cuz so I never saw I guess what was progressing.

[00:14:36]>> Mhm.

[00:14:36]>> And no one came to me and said, you know, did you see these?

[00:14:40]Um because his friends, I guess, watched and followed. I don't know.

[00:14:44]And I know, you know, his friends came to me and said, you know, Nina, but Alex's mom said, you know, Alex said Austin told him the devil talked to him.

[00:14:58]Like 6 months ago, but they just played it off.

[00:15:01]>> What [snorts] did What did he say to tell that to?

[00:15:03]>> He told it to Alex.

[00:15:05]>> To Alex. And what What was this conversation about that the devil >> I don't know the conversation.

[00:15:10]>> Has he ever made mention of that to you or >> The devil?

[00:15:14]>> Or anything like that?

[00:15:16]>> one one night I think it was after they went home.

[00:15:23]He He He went to work all day.

[00:15:25]>> Where did he work?

[00:15:26]>> At At the um dental practice in Miami.

[00:15:30]>> Okay.

[00:15:30]>> So >> Your son or your ex-husband?

[00:15:33]>> My ex-son.

[00:15:33]>> Your son. Okay.

[00:15:34]>> He got him a job there.

[00:15:35]>> Okay.

[00:15:37]>> Um Evidently, I heard he didn't sleep all night and cuz he's trying to help Nick with motivation and and you know, solving his problems. So, I don't know if it drained him.

[00:15:55]I don't know.

[00:15:56]And he went to work and he came home late. I don't know why.

[00:16:01]So, I assumed they ate dinner.

[00:16:03]>> Mhm.

[00:16:03]>> So, he's like, "No, I hadn't eaten anything eaten anything." So, I was making him stuff and he goes, "You know, my purpose in life is to help people."

[00:16:14]And he brings out this brochure like a Jehovah Witness.

[00:16:18]>> Mhm.

[00:16:18]>> And he goes, "God talked to me."

[00:16:21]And I looked at him and goes, "Austin, God didn't talk to you."

[00:16:24]You know, you may have had some enlightening experience or something and that's when it's like, you know, "Have you done Are you Did you guys do anything last night?" He goes, "No, I didn't."

[00:16:35]>> Mhm.

[00:16:36]>> And that's when we had him bring you everything out and I said, "You can't help other people if you can't help yourself."

[00:16:43]And he goes, "You're right."

[00:16:45]So, he went and threw everything out. I don't know if he threw it in the lake or >> Mhm.

[00:16:51]>> You know, I just was trying not to watch. So, they got the process >> your house?

[00:16:56]>> Yeah. [snorts] >> Yeah. Okay.

[00:16:57]Um What kind of drugs besides >> There may have been one or two vitamins.

[00:17:03]I don't know.

[00:17:04]>> As Nina describes recent incidents in her son's life, she paints a disturbing portrait of a young man seemingly unraveling at the seams and right before everyone's eyes. Because now that it's clear just how far gone Austin really was, his strange statements, drug use, and bizarre videos like these that he posted on YouTube puts everything else into a heartbreaking perspective.

[00:17:26]>> I'm going to talk to you about why I don't do steroids.

[00:17:30]I don't need drugs.

[00:17:33]Hello.

[00:17:35]Um Hi guys.

[00:17:39]Uh I just um Well, I just wanted to say that the best I think the best exercise for uh your chest muscles would probably be the bench press. It just was the best. Like, I just want to say that. And like, anybody who disagrees is such >> But how could a bright and successful student athlete seemingly lose his mind within a matter of weeks to the point of turning into a bloodthirsty cannibal killer?

[00:18:19]>> And he was great in school. He played football. No problem. Straight-A student.

[00:18:23]Right.

[00:18:24]Um What about at home? Uh what kind of changes you notice at home?

[00:18:29]>> I mean, when he came back from LSU, it was, you know, "I want to be a rapper."

[00:18:33]>> Mhm.

[00:18:34]>> I'm like, "Austin, you have to finish school first >> Mhm.

[00:18:38]>> so you could fund rapping."

[00:18:41]And he goes, "I know. I know, but you know, I can make so much money. All these people are doing it, and I'm going to be famous."

[00:18:49]So he started with these songs, and I'm like, you know, "These songs are vulgar." You know, he goes, "But they're funny." I said, "They're not funny."

[00:18:58]I said, you know, he was, "Mom, that's what people listen to nowadays." And I'm like, "I can't relate."

[00:19:06]>> Yeah, unfortunately, he's right. Young kids.

[00:19:08]>> And I just said, you you "I wish you would take it down or change the word.

[00:19:14]>> Okay.

[00:19:15]Um he he got into working out.

[00:19:18]>> He's always worked out.

[00:19:19]>> He's always, okay.

[00:19:21]>> Since um it says he was in football.

[00:19:25]He was like the number one >> [snorts] >> person in the the in the weight room.

[00:19:32]>> Does Do you think he was using any of the enhancements, any steroids or >> I don't believe I can't I'll never believe that he used steroids.

[00:19:40]>> Okay. Did you notice any mood swings to violence or Never, he's always been Okay.

[00:19:50]>> I don't know what to say.

[00:19:51]>> You might have already been asked this back when the detective law enforcement talked to you earlier.

[00:19:56]How did you find out he had left the Um I would be asking you who I did that he knew I left.

[00:20:02]>> Right. Which I left.

[00:20:04]>> And then you found out >> I went home. Um they came to the house like two days >> Okay, and that's since that Did you continue to work >> No, I went home.

[00:20:14]You know, it's like finding a needle in a haystack. I just I mean, after that we went around some of the shopping centers.

[00:20:22]Um and then went home and um my friend who's husband works for the police department also is like, you know, call 911 and I'm like, you know, she's like, it's best to do it now.

[00:20:37]I'm like, okay.

[00:20:40]So, I'm thankful I had her to to guide me because >> And then the next I guess information you got was probably when they were knocking on your door.

[00:20:52]>> I just I laid in bed waiting for the phone. But, you know, I was texting Wade if he's heard from him yet.

[00:20:59]And then yeah.

[00:21:01]>> The the drive from your house to Duffy's after you put on a the white shorts and the blue shirt Did he say anything during that drive or was he just >> No, I just I said, you know, Austin um I'm worried about you. I don't know the exact words. It was just I want to go to counseling, take you to counseling.

[00:21:25]Maybe there's somebody outside that you know, you can talk to if you're uncomfortable talking to us.

[00:21:35]And I said, will you go? And he said, okay, I'll go. And he said it twice, I'll go.

[00:21:42]And then I dropped him off.

[00:21:43]>> Does he go to any churches, any houses of worship, anything like that, no?

[00:21:47]>> Nobody. I put he's been reading religious stuff lately. I And like really reading a lot of stuff, which I never knew.

[00:21:56]And his friends are telling me.

[00:21:58]>> When you called [snorts] 911, you said he has nothing on him, he doesn't have his wallet, doesn't have phone, all he has is a knife. Did you see that knife on him?

[00:22:05]>> I didn't see the knife on him. I didn't >> you know he had the knife?

[00:22:09]>> The kids told me.

[00:22:11]>> Okay.

[00:22:12]>> I didn't see it. But he had it in his pocket all the time.

[00:22:15]>> Okay. How How Did he always have a knife knife on him or was it recent?

[00:22:20]>> I mean, he's had There are other like knives and stuff, but you know I've always taken them and put them on the shelf in the closet cuz there's no need to have it around. And he's never asked for them.

[00:22:35]>> Does he have his own bedroom? Is there anything out of the ordinary in there that you've noticed or nothing? Does he sleep well?

[00:22:43]>> No, I didn't know he hasn't been sleeping. Um I noticed it that night that I told him, you know, you got to help yourself and that God talked to him and he's like, Mom, lay with me.

[00:22:56]And you know, he's 19 and you know, it's like >> Yeah.

[00:23:03]>> Do you lay with your >> Yeah. [laughter] I said, you know, I'll lay here for a minute and I'll let you fall asleep. And you know, he was going, you know, I think I've read too many motivational books.

[00:23:15]>> Mhm.

[00:23:16]>> I don't know how many he's read or and he goes, I did help self self-hypnosis.

[00:23:23]And I'm like, how do you do self-hypnosis? And he got his computer and there was this video, I guess, that came on. I'm like, I don't want to watch that, you know.

[00:23:33]>> Do you remember anything in the video?

[00:23:35]>> It was just this blue It started with this blue panel.

[00:23:41]And I'm I'm like, I don't want to watch that. And I left.

[00:23:45]You know, after I thought he was comfortable.

[00:23:46]>> Mhm.

[00:23:47]>> And he came back and he's knocking on the door. I'm like, what's wrong? He goes, can I sleep in this cuz his old room was across from ours.

[00:23:57]>> Mhm.

[00:23:58]>> He goes, can I sleep in this room with I'm like, sure. So, him and Bud went and got the mattress.

[00:24:03]>> Mhm.

[00:24:04]>> And um put it down on the floor. So, and I left the door open if he was scared.

[00:24:11]>> Mhm.

[00:24:12]>> And um and he fell asleep. I think that night he had a good night's sleep.

[00:24:17]>> Okay. How long ago was that?

[00:24:21]Maybe like >> I don't know if it was October 11th.

[00:24:25]>> Okay. So, it's recent, very recent. And has he kept sleeping in that room and has he >> Yes.

[00:24:30]>> Okay.

[00:24:33]>> Yeah, he said he felt isolated in the other room.

[00:24:36]>> As Nina tells it, Austin was now hitting the trifecta of signs associated with a complete mental break: insomnia, religious hysteria, and delusions of grandeur. And while just one could be dismissed as a phase, put together they show the mind of a young man on the brink of madness.

[00:24:54]Yet, even after this bizarre self-hypnosis incident, Nina still wanted to give her son the benefit of the doubt. And the disturbing story she's about to tell should have been a flashing red light warning everyone of the serious danger to come.

[00:25:07]>> Did you tell them about the incident with the turtle skeleton?

[00:25:10]>> I don't remember that. That was when >> Okay.

[00:25:13]>> The kids went back there.

[00:25:13]>> Okay. So, wait. You can tell me that now.

[00:25:15]And um your your daughter's account of when they were at the beach and you were >> Well, that day Like, you didn't ask me what happened on the morning.

[00:25:32]Um The night before we had a family dinner.

[00:25:41]Everything was fine. I mean, he was just as nice as could be, talking to everybody.

[00:25:47]And when we left, he he said, "I want to pick up my car at his dad's."

[00:25:55]Because that's when they came back from the gun show.

[00:25:59]And I said, "Well, can you pick it up in the I'll drive you and pick it up in the morning."

[00:26:06]He's like, "Okay."

[00:26:07]So, apparently that night he didn't sleep well cuz Haley he would go into the room and get the dog and try to sleep. And apparently, I guess he went up to Haley's room and slept in her room.

[00:26:22]>> Was she there?

[00:26:23]>> Mhm.

[00:26:25]>> Um >> It was the night um so, he gets up early in the morning and takes off.

[00:26:42]And I text him, you know, "Where are you?" He goes, something like, "I'm go- going to get the car." Or I may have said, "Are are to get I don't know.

[00:26:54]And I said, "Do you want me to give you a ride?" He said, "No, I'm fine."

[00:26:57]And he's like, "Listen, if >> [snorts] >> I have it on text.

[00:27:03]>> You can read it if you want.

[00:27:04]>> I said, "Do you want me to pick you up and take you to your car?" He said, "I'm fine. Stay there. Lisa, no matter what I say to you, you know I'm protecting you even when you think I'm evil.

[00:27:14]Nice guys finish last."

[00:27:17]This is like 9:30 in the morning. And I said, "What does that mean?" And he said, I said, "Now, that's weird."

[00:27:30]"Can you at least tell me where you are?" And I think I called his dad to say, you know, he sent this to me and um And he says, "Dad's boat." So, I think I called Carrie, his girlfriend.

[00:27:44]>> Mhm.

[00:27:45]>> Wade's girlfriend. And I was just trying to see if, you know, was he there?

[00:27:49]>> Mhm.

[00:27:50]>> She said, "Yeah, he's he's doing stuff on the boat."

[00:27:53]I'm trying to you know, have him do things cuz I think Wade was going there to talk to her.

[00:28:02]And that's And then I don't know what happened there.

[00:28:07]>> Mhm.

[00:28:07]>> She said, you know, they're talking outside and I guess Wade wouldn't give him his keys. And he got mad and Wade told me he jumped on the hood.

[00:28:16]And I guess he finally gave him the keys.

[00:28:20]Um and he drove off.

[00:28:23]And he came to the house with I don't know.

[00:28:36]I don't know if he picked up Sam when he came to the house.

[00:28:39]But I know he went said he's going to go get his watch fixed.

[00:28:45]And I think he was home.

[00:28:48]I don't know if he came and got his wallet, I don't know. And then he went to the jeweler's jewelry store. But I think Wade saw him there, too.

[00:28:55]>> Do you know what jewelry store?

[00:28:58]>> I'm going to say the Winn-Dixie shopping center alcohol.

[00:29:03]Or Target or something like that.

[00:29:06]And I think Sam comes over and Haley gets up. I don't It's a blur, but they all leave.

[00:29:19]And I don't know if they go to the beach.

[00:29:24]But she texted me, "Call someone.

[00:29:29]Have him talk to somebody. So like make him appointment." That's because she said he ran a U-turn red light. Saying, you know, "I'm invincible."

[00:29:40]>> Okay.

[00:29:41]>> So it kind of scared her and I don't know if they went to a frat person's house and he was acting different there.

[00:29:48]Um she can tell you that account.

[00:29:51]Which they never told me until after after everything.

[00:29:57]Um but she did tell me that he also when they went for this walk cuz I I guess they went after Wade's work and they all met to go to a walk in the woods like off Island Way.

[00:30:14]And he would like step off the curb, you know, but the car is going slow enough but he's like, you know, I don't know if that was I'm immortal or I'm whatever super superhuman or what. I don't know what the exact phrase is.

[00:30:28]>> Almost sounds like he was there.

[00:30:30]>> And um And I texted Haley, "How's he doing?"

[00:30:34]And she said, "Fine. The walk is doing him good."

[00:30:37]>> Okay.

[00:30:37]>> Like maybe it was clearing his mind or um And that's the last I remember until he came home.

[00:30:47]>> Okay.

[00:30:50]I'm going to ask you a question.

[00:30:51]>> No, no, it's great. Thank you. Thank you for your time.

[00:30:53]>> Thank you. I'm sorry you went through this.

[00:30:55]>> Thank you.

[00:30:56]>> It's got to be difficult.

[00:30:57]>> It's tragic.

[00:30:59]>> So, if there's anything that I could do or we could do for you as a department, we have a chaplain here if you'd like to speak to. Whatever we could do for you, too. Okay?

[00:31:08]It's unfortunate, but >> I don't know.

[00:31:10]It's horrible.

[00:31:12]>> I'm sorry.

[00:31:16]Can we >> [snorts and laughter] >> As Nina's interview ends, detectives have a far greater understanding as to what may have happened to her son, even if she doesn't. Because it's clear a quick-moving psychosis attacked Austin like a lightning storm in his brain, and it was only a matter of time before someone around him got struck.

[00:31:37]Unfortunately for John and Michelle Stevens and their would-be hero Jeff Fisher, they found themselves directly in his path. So, now that Austin's mother's given her version of events, his father Wade steps in to give his own.

[00:31:50]>> What our intentions are is just to see what his state of mind was, what was going on uh throughout everything. Okay? So, the night that the incident happened, when did you first see your son?

[00:32:06]You talked about it in the morning?

[00:32:08]>> Whenever you saw him. I don't know if you saw him in the morning, at night.

[00:32:11]>> That I think it's about uh 12:00 or 1:00. And I said, "Let's go on a hike."

[00:32:20]He had my daughter, my girl my girl my dau- my daughter, him, and their friend and Austin.

[00:32:28]>> Okay.

[00:32:28]>> And uh We were walking through the woods for about 2 or 3 hours.

[00:32:34]>> Okay.

[00:32:35]>> And uh uh Austin would would be happy maybe maybe quiet. And uh all of a sudden I saw look look there's a pool turtle shell that's that's empty.

[00:32:54]And there's another one. He goes, "Stop everybody." He gets his knife and it's about this long.

[00:33:00]He says, "Stay behind me. I I feel something going to happen here."

[00:33:04]I said, "Put that damn thing back up.

[00:33:06]What the hell's wrong with you?"

[00:33:07]And he did.

[00:33:09]And so then >> Do you know what kind of knife that was?

[00:33:12]>> It had a Swiss blade.

[00:33:14]>> Is that the knife that you bought for him >> I don't know where he bought it from. I don't know.

[00:33:18]>> Oh, he bought it for himself at the gun show. If I show you a picture of the knife, could you say whether it is or it isn't? It's got a little blood on it. Is that okay?

[00:33:27]>> Okay.

[00:33:29]>> [snorts] >> You got to think of this morning.

[00:33:37]Yeah, that's it.

[00:33:38]>> Is it green the knife?

[00:33:38]>> Green.

[00:33:41]As best as I can tell.

[00:33:44]>> That's the knife he had?

[00:33:45]>> Yes.

[00:33:46]>> Okay.

[00:33:46]>> What's that about 3-in blade?

[00:33:48]>> [snorts] [clears throat] >> Um Yeah, it looks like it about.

[00:33:53]>> Mhm.

[00:33:55]>> Okay. So, he What did he say was going to happen to the turtles? Anything?

[00:33:59]>> And he when he when he he acted like he get behind me.

[00:34:04]I smell I think I think something's going to happen. And then what I was doing for the last 2 weeks is trying to joke him out of it.

[00:34:15]>> Mhm.

[00:34:16]>> It was psychosis.

[00:34:17]>> Mhm.

[00:34:18]>> And I said, "Put that away. You're crazy as hell. Stop."

[00:34:21]>> Okay.

[00:34:21]>> So, he So, then after that we continued to walk and we went to a clearing of the of the residential thing and he decided to run.

[00:34:33]I sat there watching him from afar run about sprint about 2 3 miles long I was.

[00:34:39]Quick. Quick.

[00:34:41]So he's totally dehydrated.

[00:34:43]>> Mhm.

[00:34:46]>> And um we said we're going to go to Bob Feeney's deep.

[00:34:50]>> Mhm.

[00:34:52]>> So we went to Bob Feeney's and sit there and he just he gets up and goes to the bathroom and disappears.

[00:35:01]And so we were all wondering what what's going on.

[00:35:06]And um his mother calls up my daughter and says he's there. And we walked about 2 miles to home.

[00:35:19]I'm sorry.

[00:35:20]>> No, that's okay.

[00:35:21]>> And this is hard enough. I mean she's >> They also got a call from the hospital.

[00:35:29]>> Yeah.

[00:35:30]>> this morning.

[00:35:30]>> called also they said that he's he's okay.

[00:35:33]>> Cuz they told us he was in bad shape.

[00:35:35]>> Yeah, but we spoke to the head nurse there about 30 40 minutes ago and they said he was okay, he's in good shape.

[00:35:41]>> Oh, really?

[00:35:42]>> They told us he had a 102 temperature and um you you might have to come see him.

[00:35:47]>> Yeah, on his deathbed.

[00:35:50]I would like to know that.

[00:35:52]>> Yeah, they didn't make it sound pretty urgent. I mean I don't know.

[00:35:54]>> Well, Sergeant Garde called the the head nurse there and cuz we call every day to see how he's doing.

[00:35:59]>> They don't know like that.

[00:36:00]>> Um I don't know who she spoke to. I could call her in.

[00:36:02]>> Yeah, that sounds good.

[00:36:03]>> You want to see if you can't find the truth on that?

[00:36:05]>> Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.

[00:36:06]>> Absolutely.

[00:36:07]>> Not a very good time.

[00:36:08]>> I know.

[00:36:09]>> I [clears throat] know.

[00:36:09]>> Well, none of this is this is horrible.

[00:36:11]Look at this.

[00:36:13]>> The behavior Wade describes is disturbing to say the least and the culmination of weeks of a worsening psychosis that simply couldn't be laughed away, no matter how hard he tried.

[00:36:23]But little did Wade know that things were hitting a breaking point and it was nothing a family hike in the woods or dinner at Duffy's could solve.

[00:36:31]>> So So anyway, he sprinted through a two two, three miles out with this dude. And then >> [clears throat] >> we went to Duffy's.

[00:36:38]Ordered food. I I I I think he did get some iced tea and he drank it.

[00:36:42]>> Mhm.

[00:36:43]>> One glass of iced tea.

[00:36:44]>> Okay.

[00:36:44]>> Then he like he's going to the bathroom.

[00:36:47]And left.

[00:36:49]Find out he's at home.

[00:36:51]Mother says "What are you doing?"

[00:36:56]He gets some She said She's cooking and she looked and grabbed the thing of Wesson oil at home.

[00:37:02]And he was going down it. She goes, "Stop."

[00:37:05]And he grabbed the Wesson oil poo Parmesan cheese in there.

[00:37:09]Poured it in there. Ate the Parmesan cheese.

[00:37:11]Okay, she's never seen that before.

[00:37:13]Then she gave him a ride back to Duffy's.

[00:37:18]He's He comes sits down.

[00:37:21]I I said, "I'm going to just go on be on tape today."

[00:37:24]So I said "What the hell are you doing?"

[00:37:28]And he didn't say nothing.

[00:37:30]So I grabbed him by the collar and I said, "What the hell are you doing?"

[00:37:34]He goes And my girlfriend says, "Austin, don't."

[00:37:38]And he looks at my girlfriend embarrassed.

[00:37:42]"Please."

[00:37:43]Okay. So >> [sighs] >> Jesus.

[00:37:47]>> Did he seem agitated or he just seemed weird? When when you grabbed his shirt, >> he seemed weird?

[00:37:53]>> Okay. Did he get agitated after you grabbed his shirt?

[00:37:56]>> Yeah, he got hit me.

[00:37:57]>> Yeah. Okay, but that >> first time.

[00:37:59]>> Okay, so he's never hit you before. He's never raised his hands to you or anything. Okay. Um you you said something about psychotic or psychosis, something like that. Is there any history in your family as to mental illness or anything like that?

[00:38:13]>> Yes.

[00:38:13]>> There is. And who?

[00:38:15]>> My sister.

[00:38:16]>> Your sister. She's being treated?

[00:38:19]>> She was treated. She was treated by >> Okay. What kind of illness?

[00:38:23]>> She had severe depression.

[00:38:24]>> Okay. Anyone else in your family?

[00:38:26]Yourself? Okay, depression? Okay, you were treated and everything else. What about grandparents or >> No, not at all.

[00:38:32]>> Okay. Uh what about him? Has he ever seen a psychiatrist or been treated for >> I don't think he has.

[00:38:38]>> Okay.

[00:38:38]Uh was he on any kind of medication? No.

[00:38:41]No. Okay.

[00:38:42]Um Jesus Christ. Okay, so anyway After he >> After he He um disappears.

[00:38:52]>> Uh-huh.

[00:38:54]>> Do you know where he went? Did he say where he was going?

[00:38:57]>> He did not.

[00:38:58]>> Okay. Next thing you know This is about 8:30.

[00:39:03]>> Mhm.

[00:39:04]>> Next thing you know the thing happened.

[00:39:07]>> Mhm.

[00:39:09]>> Wife calls me up, says she's going to put a missing person's thing out.

[00:39:13]>> Mhm.

[00:39:14]>> And then I talked to you.

[00:39:16]>> Okay.

[00:39:17]>> And that was around 2:00 in the morning when I got to your house.

[00:39:19]>> Okay.

[00:39:20]>> My wife even went to the crime scene.

[00:39:21]>> Mhm.

[00:39:22]>> Yeah, she said she was seeing this boy.

[00:39:23]>> Yeah.

[00:39:24]>> We didn't know who it was at the time and stuff.

[00:39:27]>> Cuz I had seen him in the hospital and I asked him what his name was and he told me his name was Weston Moore.

[00:39:32]>> I think he might have had an idea to say that.

[00:39:34]>> He didn't have anything on him. He was just in his underwear when he was in the hospital.

[00:39:37]>> I think I did. So I don't know if he had bars.

[00:39:39]>> Okay. Said Weston Moore?

[00:39:40]>> Yeah.

[00:39:40]>> Okay. Do we know what that ID is?

[00:39:42]>> I don't know.

[00:39:42]>> Okay.

[00:39:43]>> I don't know if it's true, but there's something about What's that film producer?

[00:39:48]>> Moore? Michael Moore?

[00:39:49]>> Yeah, something >> That he had some comments about Michael Moore a lot.

[00:39:53]>> Okay.

[00:39:54]Um so how was his childhood? Was he good kid, normal kid?

[00:39:59]>> Yeah, he was happy.

[00:40:01]>> Never suspended from school for fighting >> He was He was a very docile, shy kid. Um I was I was a nerdy kid myself.

[00:40:09]>> Yeah.

[00:40:10]>> And I dropped him off at Suncoast Weight Room.

[00:40:18]And uh He became He became He became a good football player and a weightlifter or whatever it takes.

[00:40:29]And and and fit in, you know.

[00:40:32]>> Sure.

[00:40:33]>> Beforehand, he was just too shy, you know.

[00:40:35]>> Did he uh any any any drugs? I know you guys had it like an intervention with him. You found >> I asked him about that.

[00:40:44]>> Yeah.

[00:40:45]>> Cuz he's been weird for about three or four weeks. I got many of them. I said uh Did you He goes I did about three three months two three months ago.

[00:40:59]I said nothing recently.

[00:41:01]And there's this little homeless kid that that they feel sorry for him. But they can't come over.

[00:41:06]>> Mhm.

[00:41:06]>> And then he cut these crazy >> [snorts] >> uh rap songs.

[00:41:13]>> Mhm.

[00:41:14]>> And According to my friend who was working with him, he's working in the dental office at the last >> Mhm. Is it your dental office?

[00:41:23]>> No, a friend of mine's dental office.

[00:41:24]>> Are you still practicing?

[00:41:25]>> Yes.

[00:41:26]>> You are? Okay.

[00:41:28]Um He said he's been weird ever since he's had that kid spend the night with him.

[00:41:33]And so I don't know when the hell that was. It was about two weeks prior to all this.

[00:41:36]>> [snorts] >> And this name is Nick and he lives in His parents threw him out of the house.

[00:41:41]He's been living on his own down the street and my kids were his friend.

[00:41:46]And uh I thought he was a negative influence.

[00:41:50]>> Mhm.

[00:41:51]>> So where where where where was I headed with this?

[00:41:54]>> About the drugs.

[00:41:56]>> Oh.

[00:41:57]>> [snorts and clears throat] >> I get wind that he can't sleep. Pacing the floor.

[00:42:01]>> Mhm.

[00:42:02]>> Glad I did it. Glad I did it.

[00:42:03]And so I try to give him uh some Valiums or sedatives.

[00:42:08]>> Whose Valiums are those?

[00:42:09]>> Mine.

[00:42:09]>> Yours? Okay.

[00:42:11]And uh he gets I I I I I give him too many those of on the floor. He goes, "I will not be controlled by you."

[00:42:22]So, I went grab the keys out of his hand.

[00:42:25]>> When was this?

[00:42:26]>> Uh uh I think Monday.

[00:42:30]>> Okay.

[00:42:32]>> And he's pissed off.

[00:42:35]He jumps on the hood of my car.

[00:42:38]And dents it.

[00:42:39]So, I I I So, I give him his keys back so he doesn't damage my car any further.

[00:42:43]>> Yeah.

[00:42:44]>> And uh uh I wrote him a text on my phone, too. I said, "You damaged my car."

[00:42:54]His We got a one-word answer, "Learn."

[00:42:57]>> That was from him to you?

[00:42:59]Has he ever expressed himself that way to you or Okay. It was just that day?

[00:43:03]>> That was that day.

[00:43:04]>> Okay.

[00:43:04]>> And so uh that was that day.

[00:43:10]>> Nearly overnight, it seems Austin turned into a completely different person. But just like Nina, Wade appears convinced that at least some of the blame belongs with Nick, a homeless boy Austin befriended, who they believe to be a bad influence on their son.

[00:43:25]But how much could Austin have really changed after spending just one night with him? It's far more likely that his psychosis has been bubbling up underneath the surface for some time, just looking for a perfect set of circumstances to emerge and then wreak havoc.

[00:43:40]>> A day before >> Mhm.

[00:43:45]>> Me and my girlfriend him inside of a ride bikes this uh river bend.

[00:43:50]>> Mhm.

[00:43:50]>> And uh so, we're riding bikes and we're riding for about 2 3 hours.

[00:43:55]And uh and this man my boy is in top shape, right?

[00:43:59]All of a sudden I run down the they call it the slop area.

[00:44:02]I look behind me, he's not there.

[00:44:05]And I said, "What the hell's wrong with you?"

[00:44:08]He goes, "I'm tired. I didn't sleep good last night." But I mean, he's a top shape guy. He can't even keep up with fat me. You know, riding a bike.

[00:44:17]So, we turn around and I put the bikes up and we go back and then we go eat that night. That's uh oh Sunday night, okay?

[00:44:29]And uh I'm talking about a business deal with the guy at the restaurant and I was eating at his place and uh I keep on telling him "I want my Frosty back.

[00:44:43]You stop being too serious.

[00:44:45]I want my old Austin back."

[00:44:49]And he he he refused.

[00:44:57]He says, "I don't do drugs.

[00:45:00]I'm not doing any more and I'm not drinking any more."

[00:45:06]And he did do that in the past.

[00:45:08]Excessive?

[00:45:09]Not Not here. He made good grades.

[00:45:12]Uh I don't think it was excessive.

[00:45:16]And so, uh he goes up and he leaves that restaurant. This is Saturday.

[00:45:27]Girlfriend leaves looking for him. Can't be found.

[00:45:31]Freaked out again.

[00:45:32]Get a call about an hour later. He'd gone to a family.

[00:45:36]Asked them for a ride home.

[00:45:38]He put him in the back of the pickup truck and they give him a ride home to my wife's house.

[00:45:45]And they could finally I finally found out he's all right.

[00:45:48]And that was Sunday.

[00:45:50]>> Yes.

[00:45:51]What restaurant did you go to then?

[00:45:53]>> Calabaris.

[00:45:55]So, I you know, I'm >> Saturday or Sunday?

[00:45:57]>> This is uh Sunday, I think.

[00:45:59]So, I'm pissed off. This this second time he's left me.

[00:46:03]And uh >> And Monday was the second time he did that to you?

[00:46:09]>> Right.

[00:46:12]Um I would have said Then the night before that, we were eating at the restaurant with my girlfriend and him.

[00:46:21]And it's like Where's your friends at?

[00:46:28]He says he likes his friends. He always goes to lift weights with his friends.

[00:46:31]He said, "No, babe, him lifting weights every single day and he's with his friends. He was the leader of his friends lifting weights."

[00:46:36]>> Right.

[00:46:37]>> And he wouldn't say nothing. I said, "Where would you work out?" Golds Gym.

[00:46:41]In Golds Gym?

[00:46:41]>> Okay.

[00:46:42]>> I said, "What What is uh Where's Alec? Where's your friends?"

[00:46:46]>> Mhm.

[00:46:47]>> He goes, "Uh they're out."

[00:46:49]So, I said "Did you have it out with Alec?"

[00:46:53]He goes, he didn't say nothing.

[00:46:55]So, I called up Alec.

[00:46:56]>> Mhm.

[00:46:57]>> And he never called me back.

[00:46:59]So, I I noticed him hanging around me, clinging to me.

[00:47:02]>> Mhm.

[00:47:03]>> And his friends distance themselves from him.

[00:47:07]So, that [snorts] night we were talking about taking a road trip to Chattanooga. He wanted to go. Maybe he wanted to go to Alaska. He wanted to go. He just wanted to be with me all of a sudden.

[00:47:17]>> Mhm.

[00:47:19]>> And uh uh He just wanted to be with me and he wanted to protect me on these road trips and all this and that. And I think we went to a meeting.

[00:47:30]>> Mhm.

[00:47:31]>> That was that night.

[00:47:32]>> Okay.

[00:47:33]>> And >> Growing up, was he always good, just like you said, quirky, shy? And then >> Very, very shy.

[00:47:40]>> Yeah.

[00:47:41]>> And football brought him out of his shell.

[00:47:43]>> Okay.

[00:47:43]>> And he's always cutting jokes. He's always known to be real funny.

[00:47:46]>> Yeah, I saw his videos. He's kind of funny in some of his videos. Um basically voices. Yeah. Uh he wanted to be a rapper.

[00:47:54]Uh but when the video about Arnold Schwarzenegger was hero in the video that you probably saw about the weightlifting thing.

[00:48:02]That's in my mind the essence of psychosis.

[00:48:08]Yeah, grandiosity, I'm all powerful, I don't need y'all no more.

[00:48:12]I mean, I'm we're we're embarrassed compared me and my wife are embarrassed we didn't like his damn book.

[00:48:18]The videos in the past >> There's nothing to be embarrassed about.

[00:48:21]I mean, >> [clears throat] >> from what I saw, okay, it's My kid does the same thing. He acts strange and weird and he makes goofy 17, I call him a goofball.

[00:48:31]It's nothing embarrassing.

[00:48:33]So, just put your mind at rest there.

[00:48:35]>> Uh we we both, my wife and I talked about I think um Monday.

[00:48:42]About putting [clears throat] getting him to see a therapist. So, I called a person I knew and I called another person I knew that that I'd used in the past.

[00:48:51]They weren't available.

[00:48:53]>> Has he ever seen a therapist before?

[00:48:54]>> No.

[00:48:55]>> While efforts were made to get Austin help, it was sadly a case of too little, too late. Because by the time Wade started asking around for therapists, Austin was already well into the throws of a psychotic break. So, now, instead of fitness and weightlifting, he was leaning into a new obsession, religion.

[00:49:14]And little did Wade or anyone else know that the countdown to the inevitable had begun.

[00:49:19]>> Um other than just that silly anything else you can think of that was strange of him doing or saying?

[00:49:27]>> Yeah, I mean, I worked with him in the office the last five months. He He'd go up to almost people and start talking with them and being friendly and grabbing their religious literature.

[00:49:37]>> Mhm.

[00:49:37]>> I mean, I I he would go start telling us his views about the world and this and that.

[00:49:45]And as I'd try to joke him out of it, he would start crying.

[00:49:50]And I'd say, "What the hell's wrong with you?" Yeah.

[00:49:53]>> Mhm.

[00:49:54]>> Cuz he's taking so seriously.

[00:49:56]And We got an hour down there and an hour back and he'd always never go to sleep and then all of a sudden he he'd come out of the house like he was real slow.

[00:50:05]He said I didn't sleep last night. He was just lethargic.

[00:50:09]That was one thing I commented on but He was just learning about life and learn and learn how I had him do two implant surgeries with me and stuff like that.

[00:50:20]He was uh really getting into it, you know.

[00:50:25]>> Do you know if he's done a anything else? I mean, he he showed we were thinking of going because that but it doesn't quite match because that raises your body temperature to around 105, 106 just like excited delirium does.

[00:50:40]But his body temperature at the hospital was 97.

[00:50:43]So, he We're not ruling it out. It could be. Can I ask him about the faith?

[00:50:52]>> Uh No. No. No, you know, there's you know, Dr. Harrop is in that Australia so >> Sure.

[00:51:02]>> So, you know, he's certainly familiar with Dr. Subramanian and you know, I just don't think that's an issue in this case so we'll leave that.

[00:51:13]>> Cannibalism is goes hand in hand.

[00:51:16]And I'm >> issue at all.

[00:51:19]>> Okay.

[00:51:20]>> Didn't have no time to get a hold of anything or anybody.

[00:51:22]>> And and that's what I was saying too.

[00:51:24]He had no money in his pocket.

[00:51:27]No cell phone.

[00:51:29]So, he left there and the only people that knew left that he The only people that knew that he left the restaurant was you and your family. So, unless he saw a friend or family member that picked him up and said, "Hey, I got drugs. You want to take it." But then the effect time and you know, it wouldn't equate, you know.

[00:51:48]>> Yeah.

[00:51:48]>> But like we're trying to retrace his steps all along throughout the whole day to see if he did have a chance to ingest any drugs or anything like that.

[00:51:58]There's no other >> There's a cut There's a cut through to get to [clears throat] Duffy's. Walk down the street.

[00:52:03]>> The first right.

[00:52:06]>> And another right is where this homeless kid lives.

[00:52:10]>> Okay. So, it's the first right and then another right outside of Duffy's. Okay.

[00:52:15]>> And the one I didn't care for him to hang around with Nick.

[00:52:18]Yeah.

[00:52:20]>> I have no I'm definitely going to interview Nick.

[00:52:22]>> But what the bottom line is is if he was on the way home if he made a detour.

[00:52:26]>> Mhm.

[00:52:27]>> [clears throat] >> We don't know I didn't think of it. The man did live in a bad section of town.

[00:52:31]>> [cough] >> That's all we think. If he I thought for sure he did that garage he got something, but it could be No, we can't We can't say here.

[00:52:41]>> Yeah. And right. Cuz I could do that all day and it's driving me crazy.

[00:52:45]>> Unfortunately, there would be no easy answers when it comes to the question of why Austin did what he did. There were no drugs found in his system, no symptoms of excited delirium, just multiple signs of a rapidly spiraling mind. All happening so fast that his family found themselves too stunned and terrified to act.

[00:53:04]Due to extensive psychiatric evaluations, COVID-related court delays, and Austin's prolonged recovery from his injuries, the case wouldn't reach a court until 2022.

[00:53:15]He was originally charged with two counts of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.

[00:53:21]But experts retained by both the prosecution and the defense came to the same conclusion. Austin was suffering an acute psychotic episode during the attack and couldn't distinguish right from wrong. A judge found him not guilty by reason of insanity and committed him to a secure state psychiatric facility.

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