A 20-year-old individual is suspected of fatally assaulting his mother using a hammer before fleeing into nearby woods and uttering a single distressing word.
Sebastian Van Stockum, aged 20, was taken into custody recently after purportedly confessing to the killing of Laura Williams, aged 55, in the vicinity of their affluent residence. Allegedly, he informed law enforcement that he used his fists and a hammer to end his mother’s life. Authorities were led to the gruesome scene following reports of a man shouting ‘Mama’ from the wooded area.
As officers approached, a man dialed 911 and revealed that he had “killed his mother,” referring to Laura, an antique dealer who raised Van Stockum single-handedly. Upon their arrival, he greeted them with blood smeared across his face, attire, and hands, leading to his immediate detainment.
Laura sustained severe head injuries and a fractured skull from blunt-force trauma to the left side of her head. A bloodstained hammer was discovered near her head in the grass, as detailed in a police report. Despite attempts to resuscitate her, she succumbed to her grievous wounds on-site.
When questioned by authorities about his involvement in the incident, the son allegedly replied, ‘What does it look like?’ and proceeded to admit, “I did it,” and “I took my mum’s life,” disclosing that he had attempted using various methods including a knife, hammer, and his own fists. He also disclosed to the police that he was grappling with mental health issues.
The victim, Laura, a single mother who worked as an antique dealer, resided with her son in their $1.9 million home in the exclusive New Canaan, Connecticut area before the tragic event unfolded. Van Stockum’s mugshot depicted his bloodied and scratched visage. He made a court appearance at Stamford Superior Court, where state attorney Paul Ferencek characterized the incident as an “especially violent murder,” emphasizing the extensive trauma inflicted on the victim’s skull.
During a bond hearing, defense attorney Philip Russell, representing Van Stockum, expressed shock at the situation, emphasizing the unexpected nature of the events and urging against premature judgments, given the complexities of the case.
In another chilling incident, Lorenz Kraus, 53, confessed to burying his parents, Franz and Theresia Kraus, in the backyard of their home during a TV interview shortly after their bodies were discovered. Kraus admitted to suffocating his parents and later burying them on the property. Law enforcement had initially probed Kraus for financial offenses, and suspicions were raised during a welfare check when the elderly couple, aged 92 and 83, were reported missing.
Following the recovery of the bodies, Kraus reached out to multiple media outlets, leading to his startling confession captured on camera.