A man charged with sacrificing his mother and strangling a cat claimed he did it to “make the demons stop,” local outlet FOX61 reports.
Eric Meagan, 34, was arraigned Tuesday at Superior Court in Torrington, Connecticut, after police arrested him for drowning his mother in the Housatonic River at Harrybrooke Park, according to FOX61.
Meagan called Victoria Palmer, his 56-year-old mother, to go for a walk Monday, the outlet reported, citing his arrest warrant. The two allegedly took their typical trail route at the New Milford park along the river. However, Meagan suddenly pushed his mother into the river as they were walking, placing her in a headlock and holding her underwater until she was motionless, the outlet reported, citing Meagan’s alleged confessions to police.
Meagan called 911 to report he had killed his mother, CT Insider reported, citing local police.
“I had to do it to make the demons stop,” Meagan reportedly told law enforcement. He compared the feeling to invisible insects “touching and hurting him,” according to the outlet.
Police apprehended Meagan at the scene and handcuffed him on a rock as EMS performed chest compressions on Palmer, who was unresponsive, FOX61 reported. (RELATED: Teen Gets Life Sentence After Stabbing, Axing Parents To Death To ‘Take Charge Of His Life’)
Meagan was transported to Danbury Hospital for evaluation and cleared for incarceration. His bail was set at $2 million and he was ordered not to contact his father and two little sisters, according to the outlet.
Local parkgoer Janice Perrone told FOX61 she continued to walk the river trail Tuesday, saying she was aware the alleged crime was an isolated incident.
“You feel for particularly that mom, what she must’ve been going through before all of this happened,” Perrone said, according to the outlet. “The situation of mental health care right now is not very good, so that’s disturbing but it was an isolated incident.”
Meagan reportedly admitted to strangling the family cat a week prior to the alleged murder and signing up for an NRA pistol course two days before. He also said he harbored thoughts about shooting his family, according to FOX61.
Elena Meagan, the alleged murderer’s younger sister, said she woke up the following morning to her father crying, CT Insider reported. She told the outlet the last time she spoke to her mother was the night before her death, when she searched for a movie to watch together.
“She was a loving mom, she would do anything for me,” Elena said, according to the outlet. “I don’t know what was going on with him … I didn’t want to jump to conclusions.”
Meagan had been troubling his family by being “unresponsive” leading up to the incident, FOX61 reported. When asked to justify his alleged actions, he told police he was frustrated with his mother for not understanding him and that she was the person who he loved the most, according to the outlet.
Meagan is scheduled to return to court in Torrington on July 11.