A judge has ruled that a former Fox television news anchor, accused of brutally murdering her elderly mother, is not mentally fit to face trial. The ruling came after a psychological evaluation determined the woman suffers from a severe mental illness.
Judge Halts Proceedings After Psychological Report
Sedgwick County District Judge Jeff Goering made the decision this week, declaring Angelynn Mock, 47, incompetent to stand trial. The ruling followed a psychologist's report submitted to the court, which concluded Mock suffers from schizophrenia. Consequently, the first-degree murder case has been removed from the court docket for now.
Mock was taken into custody in October last year in Wichita, Kansas. She stands accused of stabbing her 81-year-old mother, Anita Avers, to death inside the older woman's home. Formal charges of first-degree murder were filed in November 2023.
A History of Mental Health Struggles and a Fatal Confrontation
According to court documents and family statements, Mock had a long history of mental health issues. Her stepfather, Barry, told police she was originally diagnosed with bipolar disorder, later revised to schizoaffective disorder. He said she had been laid off from her job at Fox 2 after 'an explosive situation involving alcohol'.
Barry described Mock having outbursts where she would claim people were "robots" or "not real," but stated she was never previously violent. Just weeks before the killing, police were called during an episode, and Mock was hospitalised for two weeks.
The attack was exceptionally violent. Avers was found in her bed with multiple stab wounds to her face, neck, torso, and arms. The autopsy revealed injuries to her heart, left lung, thyroid, jugular vein, and left carotid artery. Police discovered several bloody kitchen knives and a cheese grater laid out on a pillow beside her.
Confession and Path to Possible Future Trial
When questioned by police, Mock gave conflicting accounts. She initially claimed her mother came at her with a knife and they fought. However, she later confessed, telling an officer, 'I had to kill her, she wasn't going to stop.' In a formal interview, she stated, 'I had to kill that b**** to have my mom back any day. I don't even know who she is anymore. I believe she's the devil.'
Following the judge's ruling, Mock was sent to Larned State Hospital for evaluation and treatment. The legal process is paused, not terminated. If her mental condition improves sufficiently in the future, she could be brought back to court to finally stand trial for her mother's death.
Mock, who worked as an anchor and reporter for Fox 2 from March 2011 to February 2015, was also treated for wounds to her hands and inner right arm following the incident.
