A man accused in the grisly killing of his mother and the family’s dog has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Ian Harley Edmondson, 24, Durant, was charged in April 2010 with first-degree murder and animal cruelty after Durant Police said he used martial arts weapons to kill his mother, Francine Sue Bertis, 54, and also the family’s schnauzer, Abigail.
A non-jury trial trial for Edmondson concluded Aug, 16 under Bryan County District Judge Mark Campbell, who took the case under advisement rather than issuing an immediate ruling.
Wednesday, Campbell issued a verdict that states it is undisputed that Edmondson killed his mother and their dog, however the evidence is clear beyond all doubt that he was insane at the time of the atrocities.
Therefore, Edmondson is not guilty by reason of insanity, however the court also ruled he is a danger to the public, so he was committed to the Oklahoma Forensic Center in Vinita.
Edmondson was arrested on April 24, 2010, after police responded to an apartment at 551 Wilson St. about a possible homicide. When officers arrived, they discovered the victim’s body in a bedroom, and according to police, she had been stabbed multiple times with a pair of kamas, a martial arts weapon similar to a scythe.
Edmondson was hiding in a closet and armed with a sword, according to police. The stand-off was ended after an officer fired non-lethal shells from a shotgun.
According to a probable-cause affidavit, Edmondson confessed to entering his mother’s bedroom and stabbing her to death. He had no explanation for his actions and said he mother was always good to him.
He also admitted to killing the dog, according to the affidavit, and said that he accidentally cut the dog while he was stabbing his mother, and that he did not want the dog to suffer.
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