This week, a 34-year-old man from Connecticut was arrested for allegedly drowning his mother in a public park. He then called the police to report the murder, and told officers that he was committing the act as a “sacrifice” to “make the demons stop”. Eric R. Meagan was taken into custody on Monday and charged with one count of murder in the death of 56-year-old Victoria Palmer, according to court records.
When officers responded to the 911 call placed by Meagan, he was still on the line with the emergency dispatcher, explaining the events that led up to the incident and his location. He was arrested without incident, and his mother was taken to New Milford Hospital where she passed away.
During the arraignment, Meagan told police that he had not slept the previous night due to being “tormented by demons”. He also revealed that he had invited his mother to go for a walk in the park, knowing that he intended to “hurt” her. He said that he tried to drown her, and that he was attempting to “make the demons stop” by sacrificing her. He also described the demons as insects that he could not see, but could only feel.
Meagan added that he had previously attempted to quiet the demons by strangling one of the family’s cats, but that it had not been enough. When asked why he chose his mother, he said that it was because he loved her the most and believed that she would be willing to sacrifice herself to save him.
Meagan is currently being held on a $2 million bond, and his next court appearance is set for July 7th.