A Mobile, Alabama man is facing two counts of murder after his grandmother and aunt were found decapitated inside their home on Monday, allegedly killed with a chainsaw.
Thomas Steele, 47, was arrested after Mobile police discovered the bodies of Christy Deloach, 65, and Dora Boone, 85, headless inside the four-bedroom home, according to a court complaint obtained by NBC 15.
Hours before the bodies were found, Steele’s aunt called 911 to report that he had stopped taking his lithium and was acting strangely, according to FOX 10. “[He’s] off his medication for Lithium and I’m not sure who to call or contact. He gave away his phone…and giving his car away. Um, he’s doing some bizarre things,” she told the 911 operator.
When the operator asked if she needed assistance, around 11 a.m. Monday, she said Steele was bipolar and described his behavior as religious in nature. “It’s in his mind. He’s following God,” she said, adding, “He’s calm! He’s not violent or anything. So, I guess I’ll just let it play itself out.”
Roughly two and a half hours later, police were called back to the home and found both women dead, according to the Mobile Police Department. Steele was allegedly waiting outside after the killings, FOX 10 reported.
Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood addressed the case at a court hearing Tuesday. “What we know is or what we believe is that he lived at this residence with these family members when they were both killed,” Blackwood said, according to NBC 15.
At the bond hearing, a judge asked Steele whether he had an attorney. He answered “No.” When the judge moved to assign him a public defender, Steele responded, “No. Kill him!”
Glenn Davidson, the public defender appointed to represent Steele, said he intends to stay on the case despite the outburst. “It was clear that he was probably still in a state of psychosis,” Davidson told The Post. “That was him standing next to me talking through his mental illness.”
Davidson said Steele needs a psychiatric evaluation to determine whether he is competent to stand trial. Asked whether a not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity plea might be pursued, Davidson said, “I can’t say for sure … but all signs indicate yes.”
“It was really apparent from the outset that he has mental issues,” Davidson added.
As of Wednesday, Steele had not entered a plea.
