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Journal of accused Martin County killer Austin Harrouff part of investigation

Attorney says Harrouff has 'severe mental illness'
Posted at 12:53 PM, Nov 24, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-24 14:48:46-05

Toxicology results show Austin Harrouff did not have any synthetic drugs in his system the August night he is accused of killing John Stevens and Michelle Mishcon.

He did test positive for small traces of THC in marijuana, and ethanol or alcohol.

RELATED: More coverage of the case

Detectives still do not know exactly where the alcohol came from, but say it could have been consumed during the attacks at the victims’ home from something in their garage, also causing his serious health issues.

Wednesday, attorneys for Harrouff said he is struggling with severe mental illness.

Several thousand pages of investigative documents were released Wednesday in the case.

A journal that belonged to Harrouff is included in the investigation. It includes some school assignments, but also what appears to be thoughts of his own put onto paper.

His comments date back to 2013 and were as recent as 2016.

He wrote about wanting to be more confident and talked about being positive. He also expressed concerns with being bullied. He called himself a freak at one point for sitting alone on a bench with no friends.

Harrouff’s mother, Mina Harrouff, was also interviewed by detectives with other family members, including Harrouff's sister Haley, present.

They told detectives during the weeks leading up to the attacks he had not been sleeping much and had been acting strange.

Some family members expressed that they thought Harrouff should have been considered for a Baker Act.

“Today was just a 180. He was talking about being immortal, running lights, being in front of cars, testing his powers, saying he was half an animal.”

A medical examiner’s report says John Stevens was stabbed 18 times, while Mishcon also died from blunt force trauma.

Harrouff was also hospitalized for nearly seven weeks.

The victims’ neighbor, Jeff Fisher, tried to step in to help. He was also seriously hurt and hospitalized with stab wounds.

In his transcript, he tells investigators he heard a piercing scream from Mishcon.

“I saw him hitting her and her falling to the ground…and continue to hit her on the way down,” Fisher said.

Fisher fought with Harrouff and eventually realized he was badly bleeding. Harrouff told Fisher “You don’t want to be a part of this.”
                 
Attorney Bob Watson filed a not guilty plea for Harrouff’s two first-degree murder charges and attempted murder charge.