Son found not criminally responsible for death of elderly mother

Emanuel Medeiros, charged in the 2024 death of his elderly mother, was found not criminally responsible on Wednesday. CTV’s Nick Paparella explains.

It was on Jan. 1, 2024 when Emanuel Medeiros, a man with a long history of mental health issues, walked into the OPP detachment near his home in North Middlesex and told the dispatcher he had killed his mother.

In an agreed statement of facts, a London courtroom heard that he told police, “I wanted her to be with my father.”

Minutes later when officers rushed off to the home on Wardell Drive, they found 82-year-old Maria Medeiros lying on her bed covered in blood.

Her son told officers he was protecting her from evil people saying, “I’m guilty. There’s devil worshippers operating in London and Strathroy, I killed my mother with a hammer while she was sleeping.”

The court heard he went on to tell police, “We’re going to get rid of these devil worshippers, it had to be done to protect her.”

The agreed statement of facts went on to state, “Emanuel Medeiros has a documented history of a psychotic disorder dating back to when he was only 20 years old.”

Just prior to the incident, Medeiros had been hospitalized but later released to live with his mother.

“The intended act occurred while he was in a psychotic state,” his lawyer Jeff Conway said.

He was charged with second-degree murder and in court pled not guilty.

Justice Joseph Perfetto agreed with the Crown and defence and found Medeiros criminally not responsible for his mother’s death due to his psychotic state.

“The finding that I made is the only one I deem is appropriate,” he said.

Medeiros remains in custody pending a hearing before the Ontario Review Board which handles mental health cases and monitors treatment.