The stepsister of a man who allegedly shot three people at a Colorado Walmart Wednesday says her stepbrother is “not this monster,” during an interview Monday.
Michelle Willoughby, 43, defended her brother in an interview published by The Denver Post Monday. Her stepbrother Scott Ostrem, 47, was arrested Thursday after allegedly killing three at a Walmart in the suburbs of Denver. Willoughby claims that Ostrem never fully recovered from a bad LSD trip in 1988, reported the New York Post.
“My brother is not this monster,” said Willoughby. “He is not cold-blooded. He hears these voices. Honestly, in my heart, I believe there is only so much a person can take.” She also told the Denver Post that she is calling from a boat in the “middle of the (Atlantic) Ocean” due to death threats she faces for defending her brother on social media.
“My brother was a people person. He had a different aura,” Willoughby said. “I adored him.”
Ostrem allegedly took 16 doses of the hallucinogenic drug which changed his personality. Prior to taking LSD at a party, “he had a different aura,” according to his stepsister. Following the incident, Ostrem became a recluse, claiming the devil was after him. Ostrem allegedly underwent a drug intervention at a hospital but never received psychological treatment.
A Catholic priest also allegedly placed a crucifix on Ostrem’s forehead, commanding demons to leave his body, added Willoughby.
Despite Willoughby’s account, prosecutors say that they do not have any specific rationale for what triggered his attacks.
Willoughby is being held without bail. The preliminary hearing will take place Feb. 5.
Send tips to gabrielle@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
