Son Kills Mother, Blames Schizophrenia

0:00It's April 17. From your city to your ears, this is Canada News today, powered by AI. A Toronto man named Colin Hatcher just got convicted of second-degree murder for stabbing his 79-year-old mother, Kathleen Boyle Hatcher, too. Death back on February 26, 2021, and King's No Park. The 43-year-old argued he shouldn't be held criminally responsible because of his schizophrenia, but the judge ruled he knew his actions were. Morely wrong, even while mentally unstable. The trial was judged only in January, with the crown pushing for first-degree murder based on a supposed long-held delusion about a pact with his late, grandfather, to kill his parents. But the judge said there wasn't enough proof it was planned, pointing instead to evidence it might have been impulsive. Family members had seen red flags for years. Like Hatcher casually telling his mom in 2018, he tossed her over Niagara Falls after working as, a chef, or threatening his dad through his girlfriend. His sister confirmed he kept repeating this family-wide plot that everyone supposedly knew about.

1:04He'd been hospitalized involuntarily, that same march for delusions got anti-psychotics but was discharged after two weeks despite family worries. By 2020, he stopped his meds against advice, and just before the killing, he seemed paranoid, with doctors noting her crisis, but no immediate, threat. Now a sentencing hearing set for June 16, where he'll get life with parole eligibility between 10 and 25 years. This case highlights how those ignored warnings let tragedy unfold despite the mental health struggles.