Austin Harrouff, 25, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to two counts of first-degree murder and other charges for the 2016 slayings of John Stevens, 59, and his wife, Michelle Mishcon . Harrouff purchased hallucinogenic mushrooms a few days before the attack, investigators have said, but they found no traces of the drug in his blood that night, according to CNN affiliate WPLG. In the hours and days after the fatal attacks, law-enforcement officers said they believed a reaction to a designer drug such as bath salts or flakka prompted the attacks. He then tried to eat Stevens' face off, police said. John Stevens IV told The Post he doesn't believe Austin Harrouff's crocodile tears in the Dr. CAKEGATE 2023: Bad Bunny's Restaurant Accused of Gobbling Birthday Girl's Cake, Sen. Rubio's Permanent Daylight Savings Bill Sees Light of Day Once More, Death Train: A Timeline of Brightline Fatalities in South Florida UPDATED, Neighborhood Nazi Jon Minadeo Peddles Hate by the Minute, NFL Legend Ray Lewis Joins World Jai-Alai League Board of Directors, Affordable New "Micro-Units" Slated for Little River, Edgewater. local news and culture, Jerry Iannelli MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. (CNN) -- Austin Harrouff, the 25-year-old accused of stabbing a Florida couple to death and biting the face of the male victim in 2016, will be sent to a mental hospital instead of prison, according to court documents. I don't know how to put it into words.". What does that mean? Four words come to mind: white, rich boy justice," Mishcon said, according to WPLG. Harrouff was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the killings of John Stevens, 59, and his wife Michelle . As Austin Harrouff stabilizes in a Palm Beach County hospital, the public may soon get answers as to why the 19-year-old allegedly murdered two strangers, stabbed another, and proceeded to eat the dead man's face as police repeatedly tasered him. Very proud of him! Many of his photos revolved around deep-sea fishing. "I look at my daughter every day (and think) how much joy he would have gotten out of knowing her. A family has been left heartbroken, trying to somehow understand the unthinkable. The unthinkable violence happened in this case not by choice, intention, or with an identifiable motive, but because Austin has a mental disease., Have a tip we should know? The very garage that a Florida couple transformed into a neighborhood hangout for friends and family became the place theyd spend their last moments. But Martin County Sheriffs officials say they were dead by the time deputies arrived and found Austin Harrouff on top of Stevens, biting his face. Snyder has said Harrouff left in apparent anger after an argument with his father at their table. Four words come to mind: white, rich boy justice, Mishcon said, according to WPLG. Twitter; A Warner Bros. Are you ever going to tell us what that means, according to WPLG. Aug. 15, 2017: John Stevens IV talks to The Post about loss of his father a year after his death, dealing with the international spotlight and raising his children without a grandfather. "Sure, he looked sad and disheveled. 2023 Cable News Network. That theory is later debunked by toxicology reports. [He] apparently attacked both of them with a knife that he was known to carry, Snyder said. Aug. 26, 2016, Harrouff is conscious at St. Mary's Medical Center, but remains in the hospital for several more weeks as he recovers. All rights reserved. Copyright 2016 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. On Monday night, Harrouff allegedly stormed out of a restaurant, complaining of slow service, and inexplicably turned down the street where the couple lived about a 15-minute walk from the restaurant Martin County Sheriff William Snyder previously told PEOPLE. Austin started to mentally decompensate in the weeks, days, and moments leading up to the incident. Cindy Mishcon, the sister of Michelle Mishcon and an attorney, laid out a methodical case of why she does not believe that Harrouff was insane when the killings occurred. In a statement sent to Law&Crime, Harrouff attorney Nellie L. Kingmaintained Harrouffs actions that day were completely out of character and stemmed from mental illness. Everyone just wants to get this over with, so Austin can get a slap on his wrist and go home and go on with the rest of his life. Was Austin insane? Michelles brother Mason Mishcon said. The suspect was biting and removing pieces of the victims face with his teeth, said WPTV. The false narrative advanced by the State that the homicides were the result of her client ingesting Flakka, or bath salts, was debunked repeatedly, King said in a statement to CNN. Investigators said his Google searches consisted of questions about needing sleep, white magic, "How to know if you're going crazy" and several other topics. A 38-page report by forensic psychologist Dr. Phillip Resnick says Austin Harrouff believed he was "half-dog, half-man". 3:34PM. These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands, Shania Twain Discusses Whether Her Ex-Husband and Her Former Friend Are Still Together, Venezuela Businessman Faced Mounting Personal, Financial Issues Before Coconut Grove Murder-Suicide. and is booked into the Martin County jail on two counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder and burglary. Personal Life. They said he tried to test his powers and said things like, "I've become like almost immortal.". Wednesday, Johns son, John Stevens IV, spoke about his loving parents and his anger about their murders. "We love our son and know that he is not the person some are making him out to be.". Heres to another 19 years of laughter, life and love. A video Michelle posted on Facebook includes John in it: John Stevens and Michelle were lovers of deep sea fishing and many photos they posted on social media show them on their boat or holding large fish. Mishcon Stevens' sister, Cindy Mishcon, was the first to address Harrouff in court, according to WPLG. The two filed a marriage license on June 9, 1997. 2. June 2017: The State Attorney's Office in Martin County releases Austin Harrouff's jail calls. ("Austin) must have some psychological break. schedules a Nov. 4 trial date for Austin Harrouff. Michelle Mishcon and John Stevens III were murdered at their Florida home on Monday. On Fathers Day, Michelle wrote on Facebook: Happy Fathers Day Jeff Mishcon!! Mishcon Stevens sister, Cindy Mishcon, was the first to address Harrouff in court, according to WPLG. "We have two people -- middle-age people -- sitting on their couch enjoying the night and out of nowhere for reasons we may never know, they are attacked by a man with a knife who overcomes them both and kills them," Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said after the killings in 2016. In 1776 Stevens became a captain in the American Revolutionary army and later was promoted to . Aug. 24, 2016: Wade Harrouff tells The Post he blames mental illness for his son's actions. November 28, 2022 / 5:29 PM Phil interview. Harrouff at no criminal record and was a good student at Florida State University, friends said. We have two people middle-age people sitting on their couch enjoying the night and out of nowhere for reasons we may never know, they are attacked by a man with a knife who overcomes them both and kills them, Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said after the killings in 2016. She called Harrouff a disgusting person. The crime was particularly horrific because the suspect, Florida State University student Austin Harrouff, is accused of trying to bite off the face of John Stevens, 59. As far as Stevens and Mishcons families are concerned, thats not justice. "Not only did defense experts refute this theory, but the State sent evidence specimens to two different drug testing facilities on three different occasions only to have negative results tendered each time," according to King. Defense attorney Robert Watson argued the state law's requirement for a defendant to prove insanity by a "clear and convincing" standard wrongly shifts the burden of proof from the state to the defendant. A neighbor, Jeff Fisher, tried to intervene when he heard the commotion outside, but he was also attacked by Harrouff. Upon finding Mishcon Stevens and her husband, John Stevens III, 59, sitting in their garage with the door open, Harrouff allegedly attacked them, stabbing the pair with what cops believe. This is what wakes me up in the middle of the night as I lay in bed for hours picturing the way that they died, she said. Loved ones argued that Harrouff knew what he was doing when he killed the couple and injured neighbor Jeffrey Fisher. The judge said Harrouff will remain in the Martin County Jail until he is taken to a secure mental health facility monitored by the Florida Department of Children and Families. On Monday night about 9:20 p.m., John Stevens and his wife, Michelle Mishcon, died after an attack. Not only did defense experts refute this theory, but the State sent evidence specimens to two different drug testing facilities on three different occasions only to have negative results tendered each time, according to King. Discovery Company. Everybody is shocked, said Stevens. Not the defense, the county, the state. Things happened rapidly, with Austin experiencing such severe hallucinations and delusions at the time of the offense that he was incapable of making rational and voluntary choices. This case was always about mental illness, she said. I want him to go through that process and to pay for what he did.. It was almost like happy hour in somebodys garage and they cooked all these lobster tails for everybody. Craig Trocino, a University of Miami law professor, said that finding Harrouff not guilty by reason of insanity would effectively be a life sentence because "it's highly unlikely" that they would risk releasing a killer as notorious as Harrouff. Harrouff was found not guilty by reason of insanity for killing John Stevens III, 59 and Michelle Mishcon, 53, during a brutal attack Aug. 15, 2016 at their home on Southeast Kokomo Lane. Chris Harris. At one point, deputies say the former Florida State University student even told deputies to just kill me.. Attorney Robert Watson, who said he's representing Harrouff, told TC Palm that the student's parents saw "indications of odd and unusual behavior" in him recently, but he declined to elaborate on possible mental health issues. The-CNN-Wire 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. The New York Daily News says the neighbor who intervened was expected to recover but suffered substantial injuries. released 22 minutes of unedited video of Austin Harrouff's interview with Dr. Phil McGraw. she asked Harrouff, who was sitting at the defense table, wearing a red and white striped prison uniform and glasses. John Stevens posted on Facebook about fatherhood. [emailprotected]. Harrouff, 25, fatally stabbed John Stevens III, 59, and Michelle Mishcon, 53, in a vicious and random attack that included injuring their neighbor Jeffrey Fisher, who tried to help the. CNN has reached out to the prosecutor for comment. But he's not here," Stevens said of his father. He became grandiose and paranoid, his behavior extreme and out of character. "They met there and. Miami-Dade records listed them both as residents of Aventura at the time. Jodi Bruce, one of Michelles sisters, said she learned from the news not from prosecutors or the victim advocate about the death penalty not being an option in this case. He is a former high school athlete. Funeral services were held in Fort Lauderdale for Michelle Mishcon, 53, and husband John Stevens III, 59. On Monday, victim impact statements were read in the courtroom, a court manager told CNN. Create Discover. Mishcon read numerous bizarre conversations Harrouff had via text message leading up to the killings, directing them at Harrouff in court, WPLG reported. Its not known how he allegedly ended up in the Stevens garage where they liked to sit at night about 45 minutes later. Michelle Mishcon Stevens is the wife of Joseph John Stevens III. Discovery Company. The company went dormant Sept. 28, 2012. Michelle Mishcon Stevens and John Stevens III were attacked and killed in 2016. . 2022 The Associated Press. If not with his life, then with the only thing we can get from him, which is a civil judgment.". On Monday, victim impact statements were read in the courtroom, a court manager told CNN. Michelle Mischon's family files a wrongful-death lawsuit against Austin Harrouff. Currently the site of Stevens Institute of Technology. Michelle Mishcon Stevens and Jeff Mishcon. March 28, 2019: A 38-page report by forensic psychologist Dr. Phillip Resnick says Austin Harrouff believed he was "half-dog, half-man" the day he brutally beat Stevens and Mishcon to death and was found biting one of their faces in Martin County. He also spoke about the garage where they were attacked. A neighbor heard screams and ran out to help, but was stabbed as well. Wednesday, John's son, John Stevens IV, spoke about his loving parents and his anger about their. The company used his Kokomo Lane address. He could have been using the drugs bath salts or flakka (alpha-PVP), according to the police. pic.twitter.com/AKLBqDnuDK, Laurie K. Blandford (@TCPalmLaurie) August 16, 2016, Another friend wrote, I am SO Sad to learn & report of this beautiful couples murder. The couple lived together in a home in Tequesta, Florida a suburb of West Palm Beach, Florida. I just want to see the prosecutor ask for the death penalty. However, mixed in with their unimaginable heartbreak is outrage. And if you ever have the courage to do something, your bravest act would be to kill yourself, and everyone would be better off because of it., I hope you never find happiness. The victim that you and your family see in all of this is you and the Harrouff name, she said. Thank you, she said, sardonically. Why would you do something so incredibly horrible to other people and yourself? she says. Michelle Mishcon Stevens and John Stevens. That seems to be the only thing anyone has cared about for the past six years, not the two dead people that he butchered. Phil is aired on TV, showing more in the interview than what was previously provided in public-records request, which led to more court hearings fighting over the release of all footage recorded by McGraw and his production company. WPTV quoted a police official as saying, Once he got to the hospital, he was making animal-like sounds and was somewhat incoherent, adding that Harrouff lived with his mother nearby. White maintained that prosecutors did everything possible to prove the case, but the facts were not there. The couple was attacked,stabbed and bitten in the garage and driveway of their home near Jupiter, Florida. . Col. John Stevens, III (June 26, 1749 - March 6, 1838) was an American lawyer, engineer, and inventor who constructed the first U.S. steam locomotive, first steam-powered ferry, and first U.S . denies Austin Harrouff's defense attorneys' motion to find Florida's insanity defense law unconstitutional. Michelle Mishcon Stevens and John Stevens III were attacked and killed in 2016. South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. A surveillance video released Friday, shows Harrouff walking calmly as he leaves Duffy's restaurant in nearby Jupiter about 45 minutes before the attack. Although the result of the "case fails to bring comfort to the families of the victims, this finding brings this matter to its right and lawful end," said King. 2 men found not guilty of murder in 2016 shooting death of Riviera girl. He cared a lot about people. 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The sheriff in Martin County believes that 19-year-old Austin Harrouff had taken the drug. "Two experts, one for the defense and one for the State, determined Austin was experiencing a psychotic break at the time of the homicides and lacked the intent necessary to be criminally responsible for his conduct," said King. Dec. 5, 2017: Austin Harrouff's attorneys, Robert Watson and Nellie King, file a notice of intent to use the insanity defense during his first-degree murder trial. Sadly, their lives would be cut short in a bizarre rampage where there were more . I didnt know you could brutally murder two people, attempt to murder another and not even have a trial. Thats all you have to do.. Friends and family of the two people killed by a. Updated You have not only destroyed the memory of them for me, but you have caused me to live in a constant state of fear. But in the video, he seems calm as he passes other diners and a waiter on the way out. The prosecutor said, however, that the frustration voiced in court was misdirected. He said he has kept them updated on everything. The TV station said Fisher called 911. ", "There are no words we can offer to give any real comfort for this tragic loss," the statement says. There were lacerations, stab wounds and blunt trauma,, Michelle Mishcon Stevens & John Stevens III: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Ivy Stevens spoke with The Post about learning to cope with the loss. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. Stevens daughter, Ivy, had moved out of the house days before, said police, according to The Palm Beach Post. Harrouff's parents and others said he had acted strangely for weeks. John Stevens was born into a wealthy family in New York City in 1749. Student accused of killing couple in Martin County claimed he had super powers, Student accused of killing couple in Martin County improving in Palm Beach County hospital. Austin Harrouff, the 25-year-old accused of stabbing a Florida couple to death and biting the face of the male victim in 2016, will be sent to a mental hospital instead of prison. Nov. 23, 2016: In hundreds of pages of court documents released by the 19th Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office, a toxicology report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation says no designer drugs were found in Austin Harrouff's system, only trace amounts of marijuana. He said that what happened to the victims was horrific, probably one of the worst slayings in the circuit. The very garage that a Florida couple transformed into a neighborhood hangout for friends and family became the place they'd spend their last moments. We dont create the facts and we dont create the law, he said. John Stevens, (born 1749, New York Citydied March 6, 1838, Hoboken, N.J., U.S.), American lawyer, inventor, and promoter of the development of steam power for transportation. I love you tons and tons.. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. CNN has reached out to the prosecutor for comment. "I'm so sorry and I never wanted this to happen," Austin Harrouff said in the interview. If you ever have the courage to do something, your bravest act will be to kill yourself. Family members giving victim impact statements after not guilty by reason of insanity plea was accepted today in FL v. #AustinHarrouff pic.twitter.com/DY25mVpunZ, Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) November 28, 2022. They must have baked easily three or four dozen lobster tails for me, my family and friends they had because we would all fit into their garage and just gather, Andersen tells PEOPLE. The victims families did not buy that Harrouff was insane when he beat and stabbed their loved ones to death on Aug. 15, 2016. In many of the 80 calls made one week in January and obtained by WPBF 25 News, Harrouff talked about his upcoming trial for the deaths of John Stevens III and Michelle Mishcon. In the weeks, months and now years that have followed, the case garnered international attention, a couple of first-degree murder charges and a diagnosis of clinical lycanthropy delusions, also known as werewolf syndrome. First published on November 28, 2022 / 5:29 PM. Mason Mishcon made a similar demand. John Stevens, 59, and his wife Michelle Mishcon, 53, often spent warm nights in the garage of their Tequesta, Florida, home with the door open. Fisher ran home after being stabbed several times. Phil interview. November 2016: After news of Austin Harrouff saying he ate humans made international headlines, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent a letter to the Martin County Sheriff's Office asking that the teen be put on a vegan diet while in jail. Circuit Judge Sherwood Baueraccepted Harrouffs plea, however, on the day trial was set to begin. Neighbors described the husband and wife as great neighbors who were always having fun and were kind to everybody. I love you to the deep blue and beyond. "We want justice for Michelle and John," Jodi Bruce, Michelle Mishcon's sister, read from a written statement outside the Martin County Courthouse. As the Jupiter teen was taken that night to St. Marys Medical Center in West Palm Beach, he said he ate something bad. Michelle Karen Mishcon, 53, retired after working in the financial industry, according to the Martin County Sheriff's Office. independent local journalism in Miami. Harrouff remains hospitalized in stable but critical condition. In July, Michelle wrote of John on Facebook, Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary John Stevens. He talked about his Dad and Michelle's love of boating and fishing and their chocolate labs. The two were killed outside their home in Tequesta by 19-year-old Austin Harrouff, according to investigators. "But here we are, opening the prison doors for a double murderer. Martin County Sheriffs officials say Harrouff will be charged with multiple counts, including first degree murder for the deaths of both Mishcon and Stevens, once he is released. Harrouff, then 19-years-old, was having dinner with his family when he stormed off in an agitated state, officials said at the time. Ivy Stevens, who is Johns daughter and Michelles stepdaughter, described in detail the absence and trauma Harrouff created. / CNN. The Miami Herald said multiple weapons of opportunity were used to beat, slash and attack the couple, including a switchblade the suspect was known to carry. All rights reserved. The "false narrative advanced by the State that the homicides were the result of" her client "ingesting Flakka, or bath salts, was debunked repeatedly," King said in a statement to CNN. Discussing Bruces criticism of the advocate and of being kept in the dark about the lack of a potential death penalty, White said he could not speak to that because he was only on the case recently. When asked what it was, he replied, Humans.. Stevens said he wants the prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case, but he fears they will not. Investigators say they are still trying to determine what drove Harrouff to allegedly kill John Stevens III, 59, and his 53-year-old wife, Michelle Mishcon. 2023 www.tallahassee.com. Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said evidence shows Austin Harrouff, 19, a Florida State University student whose father lives near the slain couple, killed them. Emailus. Andersen held back tears as she spoke about the couple who took her elderly, widowed father under their wing until the day he died. Hours later, authorities responded to the Stevens home and found the teen stabbing the couple to death and then biting John Stevens face, CNN has reported. Married 19. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. "Your dad asks you on the afternoon before you killed my sister, 'Did you throw the drugs out? Mishcon read numerous bizarre conversations Harrouff had via text message leading up to the killings, directing them at Harrouff in court, WPLG reported. Harrouff had gone to his hometown with fraternity brothers from Alpha Delta Phi, said The Miami Herald. Mishcon read numerous bizarre conversations Harrouff had via text message leading up to the killings,.