A US Merchant Marine Academy student is awaiting trial in Indiana for allegedly strangling his mother after she gave him an eviction notice demanding him to find a job and maintain cleanliness in their home.
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Connor Kobold,20, confessed to the crime in February when police arrived at his home in Valparaiso. Upon their arrival, he reportedly explained to the officers that he had “killed somebody” and directed them to where his mother, Shanelle Burns, lay, critically injured, The New York Post reported. Burns was rushed to a local hospital with marks on her neck and suspected brain damage. However, she succumbed to her injuries two days later and her death was ruled a homicide by asphyxiation secondary to manual strangulation.
Kobold is accused of committing the heinous act after Burns issued him with an eviction notice that required him to meet conditions within 30 days to remain in the family home. The conditions included finding a full-time job, keeping his room clean, and contributing to the cleanliness of common areas.
Investigators also said Kobold had a history of mental health issues, and he informed a judge in February that he had been an inpatient at two mental health facilities and had seen five different therapists. Initially, he planned to represent himself in court, stating he was the only person who could explain what happened but he was appointed a public defender in April
Burns, 43, served as an assistant vice president in Advancement Operations and Campaign Planning at Loyola University in Chicago.