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Mother of suspect in 92-year-old woman's slaying says her son didn't kill her

LEESBURG, Fla. — The mother of a Lake County man charged with killing a 92-year-old woman said her son had nothing to do with the home invasion homicide.

Sara Collins said she turned in her son, 19-year-old Joshua McClellan, and his friend, 21-year-old Krystopher Laws, to police Friday evening.

“That was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life; that's my son,” Collins said. “I want everybody to know my son didn't do this, and I'm not going to stop till I can prove his innocence.”

A judge on Saturday morning ordered the men to remain jailed on first-degree murder and robbery home invasion charges.

Collins said Rubye Harrison James, the woman the men are accused of killing, is a family friend for whom McClellan did yard work.

“I know my son didn't do that,” she said. “He didn't have to do that. He could have called Ms. Ruby at any time.”

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Hear from one of the suspect's mother below:

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As soon as her son told her he played a role in stealing James’ car, Collins said she wanted Leesburg police to know that that was all he did and that he had no idea whose car it was.

But investigators said Saturday that Laws confessed that it all came down to $70 for drugs.

Watch: Friend speaks about 92-year-old Lake County woman

“[Laws] basically stated they had gone to her house looking for money for drugs,” said Lt. John Herrell, of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. “And once they met her at the door, one of them confessed to striking her, knocking her down, and at that point, he said they both stabbed her.”

Investigators said they found James’ body Wednesday buried in a shallow grave near Crosby Street and Snow Place in Leesburg, where they found James’ abandoned car. The scene wasn’t far from Collins’ home.

“It’s horrible,” Collins said. “And it makes me feel horrible.”

Investigators said they found blood in James’ car and a knife on the center console.

Collins said she’s convinced Laws, an ex-convict with a lengthy rap sheet, acted alone in the slaying and intentionally set up McClellan with his confession.

“I kind of hope they get everything they got coming to them,” she said.