Halloween turns tragic as former news anchor stabs elderly mother, authorities report
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It was a morning that began like any other, quiet and unassuming, until sudden violence shattered the calm.
Behind the doors of a modest home, a scene unfolded that left neighbors and authorities stunned.
Those who heard the commotion say the fear and confusion that followed felt almost unreal, like something from a nightmare. What investigators later discovered would turn that eerie feeling into a chilling truth.
Authorities say 47-year-old former television anchor Angelynn Mock allegedly stabbed her 80-year-old mother, Anita Avers, to death inside their Wichita, Kansas, home on Halloween morning.
According to local reports, Mock told dispatchers she did it “to save herself.” Witness Alyssa Castro, a neighbor, recalled the moment she saw Mock emerge from the home “with like blood, like her hands were filled, her body was filled with blood, asking to call 911.”
Castro said Mock took her phone and ran back inside before calling authorities herself. When Wichita police officers arrived, they found Mock outside with cuts on her hands, waiting for them.
Inside, Avers was discovered in her bed with multiple stab wounds and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she died about 30 minutes later.
Mock was arrested on first-degree murder charges and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, where she is being held on a $1 million bond.
Police later returned Castro’s phone, and she told reporters she was grateful they “were able to help,” adding, “we never know what anyone is going through.”
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Avers was a respected marriage and family therapist at Wichita Counseling Professionals, her husband confirmed to local media.
Friends and colleagues described her as compassionate and deeply dedicated to helping others.
Mock, meanwhile, once worked as a morning and evening fill-in anchor at KTVI Fox 2 in St. Louis from 2011 to 2015 before transitioning into various sales and data management roles.
Her former coworkers expressed shock upon hearing of the incident, recalling her as confident, professional, and composed on camera.
Police say the motive remains unclear, though Mock’s chilling statement that she killed “to save herself” has raised questions about her mental state.
Investigators are piecing together the moments leading up to the attack, reviewing her recent activities and communications.
Also read: Uncover the FBI’s Surprising Crime-Fighting Tool—Could It Be in Your Closet?
Neighbors told reporters they had noticed nothing unusual before the violence erupted that morning.
For a community still reeling, the tragedy is a reminder of how quickly the familiar can turn unrecognizable.
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The tragedy has left a quiet neighborhood struggling to make sense of what happened behind closed doors. It’s a case that raises painful questions about family, fear, and the hidden struggles people face. How do you think something like this could happen in such a peaceful community, and what signs might help prevent similar tragedies?
Behind the doors of a modest home, a scene unfolded that left neighbors and authorities stunned.
Those who heard the commotion say the fear and confusion that followed felt almost unreal, like something from a nightmare. What investigators later discovered would turn that eerie feeling into a chilling truth.
Authorities say 47-year-old former television anchor Angelynn Mock allegedly stabbed her 80-year-old mother, Anita Avers, to death inside their Wichita, Kansas, home on Halloween morning.
According to local reports, Mock told dispatchers she did it “to save herself.” Witness Alyssa Castro, a neighbor, recalled the moment she saw Mock emerge from the home “with like blood, like her hands were filled, her body was filled with blood, asking to call 911.”
Castro said Mock took her phone and ran back inside before calling authorities herself. When Wichita police officers arrived, they found Mock outside with cuts on her hands, waiting for them.
Halloween turns tragic as former news anchor stabs elderly mother, authorities report. Image source: Crazy Crime Lures / YouTube
Inside, Avers was discovered in her bed with multiple stab wounds and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she died about 30 minutes later.
Mock was arrested on first-degree murder charges and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, where she is being held on a $1 million bond.
Police later returned Castro’s phone, and she told reporters she was grateful they “were able to help,” adding, “we never know what anyone is going through.”
Also read: Is your next vacation on the danger list? See which 21 countries Americans are now being told to avoid
Avers was a respected marriage and family therapist at Wichita Counseling Professionals, her husband confirmed to local media.
Friends and colleagues described her as compassionate and deeply dedicated to helping others.
Mock, meanwhile, once worked as a morning and evening fill-in anchor at KTVI Fox 2 in St. Louis from 2011 to 2015 before transitioning into various sales and data management roles.
Her former coworkers expressed shock upon hearing of the incident, recalling her as confident, professional, and composed on camera.
Police say the motive remains unclear, though Mock’s chilling statement that she killed “to save herself” has raised questions about her mental state.
Investigators are piecing together the moments leading up to the attack, reviewing her recent activities and communications.
Also read: Uncover the FBI’s Surprising Crime-Fighting Tool—Could It Be in Your Closet?
Neighbors told reporters they had noticed nothing unusual before the violence erupted that morning.
For a community still reeling, the tragedy is a reminder of how quickly the familiar can turn unrecognizable.
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