Fla. man allegedly kills mom, guts body

HOLLYWOOD LAKES, Fla., Nov. 2 (UPI) -- A Florida man with a long history of mental illness is accused of killing his mother and gutting her body, officials said Tuesday.

Beau Henri Bruneau, 29, of Hollywood Lakes, told police he woke up Saturday and decided to kill his mother, The Miami Herald reported.

Police said they found the body of Nancy Bruneau, 62, face down on the lawn of the home where mother and son lived.

The mother's liver and brain matter were scattered about, police said.

Bruneau was charged with murder and was held at the Broward County jail.

He has a history of violence, threats and mental illness, against himself, his mother and others, including as recently as Sept. 30 when he allegedly threatened to slice his mother's throat, the report said.

Bruneau allegedly told detectives he tried various ways to kill his mother, ending with hitting her lightly on the back. When she began to hit back, the intensity of the hitting escalated until he grabbed a hammer and hit her in the head. He said he then tried to cut out her heart to make sure she was dead, police said.

Bruneau called 911 and told the dispatcher, "I just tried to kill my mom. I hit her. Then I hit her with a hammer, and then with a brick."

The dispatcher asked if his mother was conscious, and Bruneau said, "No, she doesn't have a brain, sir."

Neighbors said Bruneau was a loner who wandered the neighborhood singing and talking to himself.

Police reports showed his family struggled to take care of Bruneau, who is bipolar.