A young man from Alabama, Damien Winslow Washam, has been acquitted on grounds of insanity in a tragic case involving the murder of his mother and the assault of his uncle and brother with a samurai sword. The verdict came after extensive mental evaluations conducted by the Alabama Department of Mental Health, according to Tara Zieman, communications director of the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office.
The grim incident unfolded on January 16, 2022, when Mobile County deputies responded to a residence on Mausap Road in the community of Eight Mile. Inside the home, they discovered the lifeless body of Helen Nettles Washam, Damien's 61-year-old mother, who had succumbed to lacerations.
Damien's uncle, who suffered from cerebral palsy, had sustained severe facial lacerations and was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Additionally, Damien's brother, who has autism, had lacerations on his wrist but received immediate treatment at the scene.
Damien Washam, however, fled the scene in a dark green 2000 Honda Accord and evaded law enforcement. He led authorities on a pursuit toward Highway 158 until the Saraland police successfully stopped his vehicle using spike strips. During the arrest, a Mobile County deputy used a Taser on Damien to prevent his escape, resulting in non-life-threatening injuries.
Detectives reported that Damien Washam displayed no remorse for his actions against his mother, uncle, and brother, leaving loved ones bewildered by his motives. His father, Hubert Washam, expressed shock, as Damien had no known history of mental health issues and only a minor marijuana possession charge on his record.
Nevertheless, he mentioned his son's recent concerning behavior.
Hubert Washam disclosed that Damien had become involved with a peculiar group, seemingly a cult, just weeks before the tragic incident. Damien had shared links and discussed topics like harnessing energy from the sun, leaving his family perplexed.
Furthermore, he revealed that Damien had ordered disturbing and deranged items, including a knife and spiked brass knuckles, along with a poster of Osiris, the Egyptian god of the underworld. Even more unsettling, deliveries of additional concerning items arrived for Damien after his arrest.
Hubert Washam expressed profound concern and bewilderment about his son's actions, suggesting that the items Damien ordered indicated a disturbing intent to harm his family.
Helen Washam, the victim, was remembered as a former substitute teacher and a loving mother of four. Her husband, Hubert, who tragically discovered her after the attack, described her as a sweet, kind-hearted person who poured love into everything she did.
In another news, a participant in a Black Lives Matter protest has confessed to withdrawing funds from a fundraising campaign established before the toppling of Edward Colston's statue. See detailed story here
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