The man accused of stabbing a Florida couple to death and biting the male victim is “rapidly deteriorating,” according to his father. The 19-year-old double murder suspect, Austin Harrouff, has a severe case of pneumonia and is unresponsive.
In a statement to the The Palm Beach Post, Austin’s father, Wade Harrouff explained: “My son is not doing well. He can open his eyes. He can raise his finger. He can squeeze my hand. He can’t talk. He is unresponsive.”
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Austin Harrouff is a sophomore at Florida State University, and is the main suspect in the murders of John Stevens and Michelle Mischon. On August 15, the couple was found in their garage after being stabbed. When the police arrived to the scene, Harrouff was on top of Stevens biting his face and abdomen, according to the Palm Beach Post.
Wade Harrouff joined Dr. Phil for his afternoon talk show on Wednesday to discuss the tragic incident. He hypothesized that a psychological breakdown and poison are the reasons behind why his son committed the crime.
“(Austin) must have some psychological break…I’m not trying to excuse what happened. He cared a lot about people. Something went way wrong,” Wade told the TV psychologist.
In an effort to give a father’s perspective on his son, Wade agreed to take on the interview with Dr. Phil. He was not paid for the appearance as Dr. Phil requested his presence on the show, according to Harrouff.
“I have been betrayed by so many reporters,” Wade Harrouff explained. “I wanted the chance to humanize my son to diffuse all the negative information that has been published about him.”
Dr. Phil stated that Wade Harrouff “is adamant his son is not a monster.”
Austin Harrouff remains at St. Mary’s Medical Center as he is in “critical but stable” condition.
[H/T Palm Beach Post]
