A Connecticut man who brutally murdered his friend before consuming parts of his body described the victim's eyeballs as tasting "like oysters" in a chilling confession following the December 2011 attack.
Horrific Murder and Cannibalism
Tyree Smith, now 35, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for killing Angel 'Tun Tun' Gonzalez with a hatchet and eating portions of his remains. The mutilated body was discovered in January 2012 inside an abandoned Bridgeport flat where Smith had lived during his childhood.
According to court testimony from Smith's cousin, Nicole Rabb, the killer had visited her home the day before the murder ranting about Greek gods and expressing his desire to get "blood on his hands." The following day, Smith returned to Rabb's home covered in blood and carrying a weapon.
Chilling Confession and Remorse
In a disturbing account of his actions, Smith revealed he had consumed Gonzalez's organs while drinking Sake, stating he had "gotten his blood." He specifically told his cousin that the eyeball "tasted like an oyster" and admitted to dismembering Gonzalez's corpse with an axe before eating body parts in a graveyard.
During his 2013 court appearance, Smith expressed remorse for his actions, stating: "I'm really sorry for what I did, that I couldn't be myself. It really had nothing to do with the other person."
Controversial Release and Public Safety Concerns
Connecticut's Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB) decided in February that Smith would be permitted to leave Connecticut Valley Hospital in Middletown, despite his original maximum-security mental facility sentence of 60 years. He had been living in a Waterbury group home after the PSRB determined he was "stabilised."
Dr Caren Teitelbaum described Smith as "a joy" and "considered a support to the other people there" at the group home. She noted that once stabilised, he became "a really calming presence for other patients" who maintained "clinical stability" and adhered to medications while continuing substance abuse treatment.
However, the decision sparked significant concern among both family members and politicians. Talitha Frazier, Gonzalez's sister-in-law, questioned during a previous hearing: "How do we really know he's not going to do this again? His grandkids are scared. His daughter is scared she couldn't come today, her sugar dropped to 52."
State Senator Paul Cicarella expressed alarm, stating: "Murder and cannibalism and release in the same sentence. That's a problem. That's concerning to me."
Several senators, including Heather Somers, Cicarella, Henri Martin and Stephen Harding, released a joint statement condemning the decision: "This terrible decision puts public safety in jeopardy and is yet another terrible message to send to CT violent crime victims and their families. This person should never be out," labelling the verdict as "outrageous" and "mind-boggling."
Despite doctors admitting that Smith could become dangerous if he stopped taking his medication, a forensic psychiatrist convinced the review board that his schizophrenia is under control. The psychiatrist emphasised that his conditional release means he will live in a communal setting under strict supervision while continuing treatment.
The Times Union reported that a ruling in February formally discharged him from Whiting Forensic Hospital, marking a significant development in a case that originally saw Superior Court Judge John Kavanewsky institutionalise Smith in 2013 after deeming him a threat to himself and others.
