Son Charged with Murdering Elderly Mother in Brutal Attack

Gersheim, Saarland - In a shocking case of familial violence, a 64-year-old man has been accused of murdering his 89-year-old mother using a hammer and a knife. The brutal act is alleged to have occurred on December 10, 2024, during the pre-Christmas period.

The suspect is currently on trial at the Saarbrücken District Court, facing charges of murder with malice aforethought. Prosecutors allege that the man attacked his mother while she was defenseless in her bed, striking her multiple times in the head with a hammer before attempting to fatally stab her.

According to the prosecution, the accused first entered the garage of their shared residence, retrieved a masonry hammer, and struck his mother's head three times. Despite the severity of the attack, she survived the initial blows. In a subsequent attempt to ensure her death, the man is said to have fetched a knife with a blade measuring 20 centimeters and stabbed her in the neck multiple times, resulting in severe injuries.

During the court proceedings, a forensic expert testified that the elderly woman sustained critical head injuries as well as deep lacerations that severed both carotid arteries. Ultimately, her cause of death was determined to be a combination of the traumatic brain injury and significant blood loss.

Following the incident, the accused reportedly contacted his brother, who resided nearby, to inform him of the situation. Upon arrival, the brother called the authorities, but by the time police reached the scene, the 89-year-old was already deceased. The suspect was taken into custody and has since been evaluated at a psychiatric facility.

It has been revealed that the accused has a history of paranoid schizophrenia, having battled the condition since he was 30 years old. Prior to the incident, he had reportedly ceased taking his prescribed medication about four weeks earlier. The prosecution has indicated that a combination of his mental illness and overwhelming stress may have contributed to his actions, as his mother had been requiring care for several years.

Given his mental health history, there is a possibility that the accused may not face imprisonment. The prosecution believes he may have diminished criminal responsibility and does not rule out the possibility of a long-term commitment to a specialized psychiatric institution.