Sleepwalker drove 14 miles to his mother-in- law’s house and killed her was found innocent of murder charges
In 1987, 23-year-old Kenneth Parks drove 14 miles while sleepwalking, killed his mother-in-law, nearly strangled his father-in-law, and then turned himself in while covered in blood.
He had no memory of the incident, and in 1992, was acquitted after experts confirmed he was asleep the entire time.
Parks is still charged with the attempted murder of his father-in-law, Denis Woods, and remained in custody today.
Prosecutors said Park’s defense was ludicrous.
Parks, of Pickering, Ontario, was charged with second-degree murder in the beating and stabbing death of his mother-in-law.
Mrs. Woods was struck with a tire iron and stabbed four times and died in bed in her suburban Scarborough home on May 24, 1987. Her husband, who was choked and stabbed, recovered from his wounds and testified that he never saw his assailant.
Defense attorney Marlys Edwardh said that on the night of the killing, Parks ”plunged into a deep, deep sleep. His next memory is seeing his mother- in-law’s face.’’
The attorney said he then regained consciousness, fled the house and drove to a nearby police station.
Staff Sgt. Bob Adair of the Toronto police homicide squad testified Parks said he had no idea how he got to his in-laws’ home and told officers he had no reason to harm them.
Testimony indicated Parks, married to the Woods’ daughter, Karen, was under pressure from gambling debts.
Ms. Edwardh said psychiatric evidence indicated that Parks was sleepwalking at the time of the killing.
She said Parks had a history of sleepwalking and asked the jury to acquit him because he was in ”a sleep-state in which … there is no will or conscious mind directing (the activity).’’
The jury did so Thursday after nine hours of deliberation.
According to testimony, there are about 35 documented cases worldwide of homicides committed during sleepwalking.
Crown attorney Cathy Mocha argued Parks must have known what he was doing, but may have blocked ”the very terrible events’’ from his mind.
