Alabama man identified as Damien Washam who was accused nearly two years ago of stabbing his mother to death with a Samurai sword, was found not guilty of murdering her, because of insanity, the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office confirms, People reports.
In January 2022, Damien Washam, 25, was accused of killing his mother, 61-year-old Helen Nettles Washam in Eightmile, Ala., according to the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. He was also accused of attempting to murder his brother, identified by MCSO as Desmon Washam, and uncle, George Washington Nettles, who was “bedridden with Cerebral palsy,” according to sheriff’s department statement, according to People.
After the attack, Damien fled the scene in a vehicle and a police pursuit began. When he was apprehended, authorities found the sword used to kill his mother and injure his brother and uncle in the front seat of the vehicle, the sheriff’s department alleged.
An autopsy revealed that Helen sustained 19 cuts on her head during the attack, Fox 10 and AL.com report. MSCO detectives reported that Damien showed “no remorse” after allegedly murdering his mother.
Hubert Washam, Damien’s father and Helen’s husband, told Oxygen.com in a January 2022 interview that his son became interested in online conspiracy theories shortly before the murder took place, but had no known history of mental illness.
“It’s something he got into,” Hubert told Oxygen.com. “I don’t understand it. Crazy stuff, Egyptian gods of the underworld. He ordered that sword, another knife, other stuff that looked like he was planning to kill us all and burn the house down. I just wish I could ask him now what the heck was all this stuff for.”
“He had started listening to some crazy group of people, like a cult or something,” Hubert continued. “Evidently, he had sent links to his sisters and were telling them about it, talking about the sun, and getting energy from the sun. It was just something he got into four weeks, six weeks ago. I don’t understand it.”
Tara Zieman, Mobile County District Attorney’s Office’s communications director, confirms to PEOPLE that Damien was found not guilty by reason of insanity on the murder and attempted murder charges he was facing in connection with the attack.
“After multiple and extensive evaluations, [Damien] Washam is now in the custody of the Department of Mental Health,” Zieman says.
Hubert remembered his wife as “a sweet, innocent person,” Oxygen.com reported.