Police in New York have confirmed that the woman whose decapitated body was found outside of a Long Island apartment building Tuesday night was beheaded by her son, who committed suicide just minutes later.
According to CBS New York , the woman was identified as Patricia Ward, a 66-year-old professor at Farmingdale State College. Her son, Derek, jumped in front of a Long Island Railroad train shortly after murdering her. Patricia Ward's brother, Gusoff Ward, told CBS New York that her 35-year-old son had been discharged from a mental institution two months prior to the incident. CBS New York added that Derek Ward struggled with mental illness for years, and had a criminal history:
With no witnesses to the actual crime, and no sounds heard, police on Wednesday were trying to piece together a motive. They said Derek Ward had a criminal history and mental illness — most recently distressed over death of his paternal grandfather.
Too shaken to speak on camera, Patricia Ward’s brother told CBS 2’s Gusoff that Derek Ward had battled mental illness for years. And relatives said just two months before the unthinkable murder-suicide, Derek Ward was discharged from care at a psychiatric hospital.
Nassau County Police Detective Lt. John Azzata told CBS New York that there were no prior reports of domestic incidents between Ward and her son at their Farmingdale apartment.
Patrick Calabria, Farmingdale State College's vice president of institutional advancement and enrollment management, relayed the collective shock in response to Ward's death. "I mean, she was here for 28 years—she was well-known, well-liked, and well-respected. You know, a lot of tears were shed on campus today."
[via CBS New York]
