MOUNT DORA, Fla. — A Lake County man accused of stabbing and killing his stepmother at their Mount Dora home faced a judge Thursday morning. Toriano Wilson, 29, nearly collapsed moments after the Lake County judge denied him bond.
"Can you raise your right hand as best you can? There you go," the judge asked Wilson Thursday.
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Investigators say Wilson stabbed his stepmother, 54-year-old Hattie Wilson, to death inside their Mount Dora home Wednesday evening.
Only WFTV was there Thursday morning when Wilson displayed bizarre behavior and jail guards had to practically carry him back to his cell. Jail guards told WFTV that Wilson acted strangely throughout the morning before his first court appearance, even barking like a dog.
But when the hearing began, Wilson stood silently until a judge told him his bond was denied. Then, after a wincing expression, his body relaxed and guards who surrounded him had to drag him from the courtroom.
Wilson is being held with no bond and is charged with murder. In court, the judge said Wilson should get a mental evaluation and to have him evaluated by doctors.
"For right now, I'm a little concerned about Mr. Wilson's health and his safety," the judge said.
Investigators said Wilson killed his stepmother inside the family's home on Pine Avenue ( see map ) in Mount Dora. Authorities said the 54-year-old was stabbed multiple times while in the living room. The suspect's father was in another room and called 911 when he heard what was going on.
A police report says, after the stabbing, Wilson calmly washed his hands and waited for deputies to arrive.
"When our deputies arrived, they found the victim on the floor and suspect was quietly sitting on the floor," said Jim Vachon, Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Neighbors told Eyewitness News they heard commotion and saw the street covered in crime scene tape. They are shocked to hear that the victim's own stepson is accused of a violent stabbing that left the woman dead.
"[We've] got a good neighborhood. Real quiet here. We never have these problems," neighbor Rory Regula said. "All of the sirens and whatnot. They took the lady out in an ambulance, you know. I spoke with a neighbor earlier."
Investigators said they can't explain the motive behind the murder and all they know is who committed the crime.
"That's the big mystery right now, we don't know why he did what he did. We're gonna work hard to get to the bottom of it, but as of now we have no idea what the motive was," Vachon said.
Thursday afternoon, at the scene of the murder, family and friends of Hattie Wilson gathered. Her husband told WFTV that his son suffered from mental issues since being discharged from the U.S. Marines eight years ago.
Wilson's father says he loved his stepmother, but for some reason, attacked her just hours after being release from a mental health facility.
An autopsy was performed on Hattie Wilson Thursday morning. The sheriff's office says they have had no calls about violence at the Wilson home in the past.
WFTV
