North Carolina man found not guilty by insanity of beheading mom
LOUISBURG, N.C. — A North Carolina man accused of decapitating his mother has been found not guilty of murder because of insanity.
A Franklin County judge found Monday that psychosis drove Oliver Funes Machada to commit the March 2017 killing. Machada was ordered to remain in custody of a state mental hospital.
Doctors determined Machada had a condition similar to schizophrenia during the killing.
Court documents say he told a 911 dispatcher he repeatedly stabbed his mother and a deputy saw him carry the woman’s head outside their Zebulon home.
Machada was ruled incompetent last year to proceed in court, but a doctor testified Monday his condition had improved enough to finish the case.
Machada said little in court but told the judge he understood the proceeding. He also apologized to his family.
