MIAMI, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Police were convinced Austin Harrouff was on some sort of hallucinogen, most likely bath salts or flakka, the night they arrested him on charges he killed a couple after being found on top of one of their bodies, chewing on a face. It turns out, they were wrong.
Results from an FBI toxicology test show Harrouff had alcohol and marijuana in his system, as well as drugs given to him at the hospital after his arrest, but no hallucinogens, lending credence to his father's theory that he has some type of "severe mental illness."
Harrouff, currently in custody in the Martin County Jail, last week pleaded not guilty to two counts of first degree murder, one count of attempted first degree murder and one count of burglary connected to the killings of John Stevens and his wife, Michelle Mishcon. Harrouff was arrested for the crime when police found him on top of John Stevens chewing on his face.
Harrouff's family and lawyer believe he "is struggling from a severe mental illness" and the drug test results suggest they are correct. "We know this information will be of no comfort to the victims' families and friends," Nellie King, the Harrouffs' lawyer, said in a statement.
Harrouff had gotten into a series of fights with his parents before encountering Stevens and Mishcon, though nobody is sure how he encountered them.
The 19-year-old Florida State University student allegedly chased down, beat and killed Stevens and Mishcon, and attempted to fight another man, Jeff Fisher, when he tried to intervene in their killing.
After he was arrested, Harrouff told police if they tested him they'd find alcohol and marijuana, but no other drugs. Paramedics later said he was asking them to kill him when he was arrested because he "deserved to die," and later told police he had "become, like, almost immortal. I have to die one day."
Harrouff's sister, Haley, told police he'd been talking about having super powers he wanted to test, being immortal and that he'd had problems with insomnia lately.
"Austin is struggling with severe mental illness and the judicial process will bear all of this out in due time," King said.
