The following story is real. Here is the report from our local reporters:
Andrew Ellmaker, 20, of Overland Park, also was convicted of aggravated battery for injuring his mother, Sue Ellmaker, during the attack.
Prosecutors said Ellmaker stabbed Teri Lea Zenner, 26, while she was making a visit to his home on Aug. 17, 2004, and then cut her with a chain saw.
Jurors rejected defense attorney Patrick Lewis' request that they convict Ellmaker of a lesser charge of second-degree murder, which does not require premeditation.
Lewis contended that Ellmaker, who has a history of mental illness, "just snapped."
In closing arguments earlier Friday, Stephen Maxwell, deputy Johnson County District Attorney, said Zenner was "savagely murdered."
"This is no accident, this was an intentional act," Maxwell said. "This particular case was in fact premeditated.
This is NOT a premeditated act. I know the truth. I know his mother. Andrews mother was stabbed also. She almost died.
If EVER there was a profile in mental illness, this young man is it. If not for the grace of God, it could have been myself. Mental illness is real and it is abundant. Terry Z., his social worker, disrupted Andrew as he was in his room atempting to end his life. He didn't expect her to enter. He was in a pychotic state. He knew not what he was doing. Do I think he should go free? Oh heck no. Do I think he should be put to death? No, I think he should serve life in prison without parole.
His mother will never get over this, his victims family will never get over this. The community will never get over this. Mental illness is real and it is alive and well in your family, in your community and in the world. May God have mercy................................
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6 comments:
Anne
How horrible for everyone. The young man, the families involved, the community. No one should remain untouched by this story. There are so many more like this guy out there!
Sam
God bless him, his family and the other families involved as you know, i know mental illness i second your thoughts~kbear
And yet available mental health services for people like him are being cut all the time. Scary times.
Russ
Could have been me, too - I was a social worker who went to people's homes in situations like that. We no longer have safe places for the mentally ill. We have better drugs, but giving them some and tossing them on the streets doesn't help enough at all. A very sad situation.
xoxo
I mourn for all involved. Truly there are times when there does not seem to be any sort of rightful justice. Paulette
Not knowing the full story I can't say how I feel on his verdict, other than there must be punishment one way or the other. One of my best friends was a social worker and went on home visits and the things she shared with me are horrifying and had any of them hurt her I'd personally been the one seeking justice for HER life as she was doing her job in trying her best to do her job and help the families she was assigned as I'm guessing so was this YOUNG woman who was murdered. There is a balance, and unfortunately cutting mental health is not the balance. He is responsible for what he did to her and the horrifying way he killed her. I can't imagine her families grief.
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