Former television news anchor, Angelynn Mock, has been charged with first-degree murder following the alleged stabbing of her 80-year-old mother, Anita Avers, on Halloween. The incident took place in their shared home in Kansas. The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office has confirmed that if convicted, 47-year-old Mock could face a life sentence.
Mock, who previously worked as a news anchor for St. Louis’s KTVI Fox 2 in the early 2010s, was arrested at her Wichita home after she reportedly called the police on herself. When officers arrived at the scene, they found Mock outside the house with her hands covered in blood.
According to Sedgwick dispatchers, Mock claimed she had stabbed her mother in self-defense. The Wichita Police Department arrested her without incident. Inside the house, they found Avers unresponsive in her bed, suffering from multiple stab wounds. She was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to her injuries within half an hour.
Mock was also treated for her injuries at the hospital before being taken to Sedgwick County Jail. Her bail has been set at a hefty $1 million.
Eyewitnesses from the neighborhood were shocked by the gruesome scene. Alyssa Castro, a local resident, recounted seeing Mock, covered in blood, approach her vehicle and ask to call 911. Castro and her boyfriend gave Mock their phone, which she used to call the police from inside the house.
Avers was a respected family and marriage therapist at Wichita Counseling Professionals. With 18 years of experience, she specialized in helping adults diagnosed with mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety spectrum disorders, and mood disorders.
Mock’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 14.