"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. Please enter valid email address to continue. White maintained that prosecutors did everything possible to prove the case, but the facts were not there. 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. Loved ones argued that Harrouff knew what he was doing when he killed the couple and injured neighbor Jeffrey Fisher. The couple have two children, a daughter named Ivy Stevens and a son also named John Stevens after his father. crime. which led to more court hearings fighting over the release of all footage, The State Attorney's Office in Martin County releases Austin Harrouff's jail calls. Okay, he said. Personal Life. Snyder said that Harrouff allegedly used many objects in the garage as weapons and wrestled with Stevens until both men were in the driveway. Palm Beach Gardens homicide puts 'gang . His father identified the neighbor as Jeff Fisher, 47, said WPTV. 2022 The Associated Press. The trial had been delayed by the pandemic, legal wrangling and Harrouff's recovery from critical injuries suffered while drinking a chemical during the attack. The New York Daily News says the neighbor who intervened was expected to recover but suffered substantial injuries. August 17, 2016 He said he was not happy with the result either, but he noted that two experts one from the state, and the other for the defense determined Harrouff was insane. I didnt know that.. Feb. 28, 2017: The 19th Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office released 22 minutes of unedited video of Austin Harrouff's interview with Dr. Phil McGraw after weeks of court hearings battling over its release. He also spoke about the garage where they were attacked. You have not only destroyed the memory of them for me, but you have caused me to live in a constant state of fear. Michelle Mishcon Stevens and John Stevens III were attacked and killed in 2016. . 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. What does that mean? Aug. 24, 2016: Wade Harrouff tells The Post he blames mental illness for his son's actions. All Rights Reserved. In the calls, his emotions range from apologetic to worried and sad for his actions to joking with his parents and complaining about how bored he is. Currently the site of Stevens Institute of Technology. Aug. 7, 2018 Michelle Mischon's family files a wrongful-death lawsuit against Austin Harrouff. The suspect was biting and removing pieces of the victims face with his teeth, said WPTV. June 17, 2019: Bauer denies Austin Harrouff's defense attorneys' motion to find Florida's insanity defense law unconstitutional. "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. Harrouff can only be released on a court order, he said. Michelle Mishcon Stevens and her husband John Stevens. 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. Michelle Mishcon and John Stevens III were murdered at their Florida home on Monday. 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. Normal people dont make the decision to go take drugs and then kill people regardless of what was in the drugs, Stevens said. If we need to be the punching bag, thats fine, he told Law&Crime on the phone. 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. My dad and Michelle, they were great people, and we were super close, said Stevens, a former Marine who now lives outside Kansas City. Aug. 15, 2018: Two years after her father and stepmother's deaths, Ivy Stevens spoke with The Post about learning to cope with the loss. The company went dormant Sept. 28, 2012. 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. She added that she was devastated when she learned what had happened to her friends. Harrouff was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the killings of John Stevens, 59, and his wife Michelle . The agreement worked out between the defense and prosecution avoided a trial that had been scheduled to start Monday before Circuit Judge Sherwood Bauer and had been expected to last three weeks. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. He was rushed to the hospital and was released Thursday. Their garage was set up with a TV and a bar and a stereo and couches, and they welcomed everybody in the community and it was a place where people could connect and relax after a day of work.. Mishcon read numerous bizarre conversations Harrouff had via text message leading up to the killings, directing them at Harrouff in court, WPLG reported. "(Harrouff) will pay for what he has done. 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? Married 19 years, they were lovers of deep-sea fishing near their affluent Florida community. G-D help their neighbor who tried to intervene & was injured by the assailant.. "I look at my daughter every day (and think) how much joy he would have gotten out of knowing her. 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. I am SO sorry that a crazy person had to unleash his anger on them! The 19-year-olds internet searches gave more insight into what he was thinking in the days and hours before the homicides. Ivy Stevens, who is Johns daughter and Michelles stepdaughter, described in detail the absence and trauma Harrouff created. Bauer said he will not be allowed to leave the facility without a court order. He was super excitedso thats made it that much more hard for us.. Sept. 7, 2016: Wade Harrouff appears on Dr. Phil McGraw's TV show. Thank you for all you did for myself and everyone is an understatement May you rest peacefully. "It's like a nightmare. In a relatively short but visceral statement, she acknowledged that like the defendant, she previously abused drugs and alcohol, But Hailey said that during this low point, the only person she wanted to harm was herself. You knew exactly what you were doing, Bruce said. He sentenced Harrouff to treatment in the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services because it was determined that the defendant was danger to himself and others. Harrouff remains hospitalized in stable but critical condition. John Leavitt Stevens (August 1, 1820 - February 8, 1895) was the United States Minister to the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893 when he was accused of conspiring to overthrow Queen Liliuokalani in association with the Committee of Safety, led by Lorrin A. Thurston and Sanford B. Dole - the first Americans attempting to overthrow a foreign government under the auspices of a United States government . Law-enforcement officers say they do not know what prompted the attacks, but believe it may been a drug-fueled crime. Austin murdered Joseph John Stevens III and his better half, Michelle Mishcon Stevens, on August 15, 2016, before eating Joseph's face. "Is it really so hard for you to understand that you are a cold-blooded murderer and not a victim," she asked. The prosecutor said, however, that the frustration voiced in court was misdirected. 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. On Monday night about 9:20 p.m., John Stevens and his wife, Michelle Mishcon, died after an attack. Its not known how he allegedly ended up in the Stevens garage where they liked to sit at night about 45 minutes later. It does not seem like anyone cares that Michelle and John are dead. Thank you Michelle Mishcon Stevens for always believing in me and being a great role model. Citing jailhouse phone calls, Michelles sister Cindy Mishconasserted that he did not care about committing the murders. Mishcon Stevens sister, Cindy Mishcon, was the first to address Harrouff in court, according to WPLG. On April 6, 2009 Stevens created John on the Green, Inc, and listed himself as president, and vice president, according to state business records. Not only for myself but for my family. Harrouff was grunting and growling at the scene and making animal-like noises, police said, according to The New York Daily News. Michelle Mishcon Stevens and John Stevens III were attacked and killed in 2016. Florida Judge Sherwood Bauer, of the 19th Judicial Circuit, found Harrouff not guilty by reason of insanity and ordered him to be sent to a mental hospital after the prosecution and the defense reached an agreement to avoid trial, according to court documents. I'm not trying to excuse what happened. Two mental health experts, one hired by the defense and another by prosecutors, examined Harrouff and found he suffered an acute psychotic episode during the attack, and couldn't distinguish between right and wrong. According to his son, Michelle had worked for Stevens at Prudential Securities. 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 in . 'Learn.' At one point, deputies say the former Florida State University student even told deputies to just kill me.. You didn't answer 'yes,'" Mishcon said. 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. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. A random, vicious attack killed Martin County couple John Stevens III and Michelle Mishcon. I didnt know you could brutally murder two people, attempt to murder another and not even have a trial. Did you throw the drugs out? You didnt answer yes, Mishcon said. In July, Michelle wrote of John on Facebook, Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary John Stevens. But, the mind is a powerful thing. The couple lived together in a home in Tequesta, Florida a suburb of West Palm Beach, Florida. WATCH: FSU Student Allegedly Ate Victims Face After Stabbing Him and Wife, Suspect in Slaying of Physician Assistant Is Another P.A. "Sure, he looked sad and disheveled. 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. They said they will ask for the death penalty in any future case. During the same hearing, Bauer canceled a September status check without setting a new date, calling into question whether the Nov. 4 trial date will remain in place. Defendants are presumed sane under Florida law, meaning that Harrouff must show he had a severe mental breakdown that prevented him from understanding actions or that they were even wrong by "clear and convincing" evidence. "We love our son and know that he is not the person some are making him out to be.". Harrouff, who did not know the couple, stabbed the them to death while they were watching TV in their open garage. June 2017: The State Attorney's Office in Martin County releases Austin Harrouff's jail calls. South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. Miami's independent source of Discover; Podcasts; The Minds of Madness - True Crime Stories; "But I don't know if that's ever going to happen.". tells The Palm Beach Post his son remains in the hospital and his organs are failing. 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. Oct. 3, 2016: After weeks in recovery, Austin Harrouff leaves the hospital and is booked into the Martin County jail on two counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder and burglary. 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 Stevens, 53. 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. 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. Are you ever going to tell us what that means, according to WPLG. On Monday night about 9:20 p.m., John Stevens and his wife, Michelle Mishcon, died after an attack. Thats when Johns dad was going to meet his new granddaughter. He said that it took up to four officers and a police dog to subdue Harrouff, who was allegedly clutching Stevens and trying to eat his face. 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. Aug. 26, 2016, Harrouff is conscious at St. Mary's Medical Center, but remains in the hospital for several more weeks as he recovers. A 38-page report by forensic psychologist Dr. Phillip Resnick says Austin Harrouff believed he was "half-dog, half-man". I love you tons and tons.. Are you ever going to tell us what that means," according to WPLG. appreciated. 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. Twitter; 4:36 PM EST, Tue November 29, 2022. She said that she had begun writing her victim impact statement when she was "naive enough" to think there would be justice. court hearings battling over its release. Funeral services are held for John Stevens and Michelle Mishcon, the victims of an alleged attack by Austin Harrouff in Tequesta. One of my amazing coworkers, We love you Michelle! A family has been left heartbroken, trying to somehow understand the unthinkable.