A US Merchant Marine Academy student is approaching trial in Indiana for allegedly strangling his mother after she handed him an eviction notice that requested that he find a job and keep his room and common areas of their home clean.
Conner Kobold, 20, admitted to the heinous crime as soon as police arrived in February at the Valparaiso home he shared with his mother Shanelle Burns, an assistant vice president in advancement at Loyola University in Chicago, according to court documents obtained by the Chicago Tribune.
He reportedly told officers he “killed somebody” and told them where they could find his mother clinging to life before asking to be handcuffed.
Burns was rushed to the hospital with ligature marks on her neck and suspected brain damage. She succumbed to her injuries two days later.
Her death was ruled a homicide by asphyxiation secondary to manual strangulation.
Kobold is accused of committing the matricide after Burns gave him an eviction notice that outlined conditions he needed to meet within a 30-day timeframe to stay in the family home.
He was required to find a full-time job, keep his room clean and contribute to the cleanliness of common areas of the home, charging documents show.
According to his LinkedIn account, Kobold was pursuing a bachelor of science degree at the USMMA in Kings Point, Long Island.
Why he was living at home at the time of the tragedy or whether he had dropped out of the school is not clear. The USMMA did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
Kobold does have a history of mental health issues — he told a judge in February that he had been an inpatient in two mental health facilities and seen five different therapists, the Chicago Tribune reported.
He attempted to represent himself in court, telling the judge that the “only person who can explain what happened and why it happened is myself.” Kobold was appointed a public defender in April.
He has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated battery and murder in connection to his mother’s death.
Burns, 43, was an assistant vice president in Advancement Operations and Campaign Planning at Loyola University in Chicago, according to the school’s website.
Her obituary tragically states that Kobold was the most important thing in her accomplished life.
“If you were to ask Shanelle’s friends what mattered most to her you would get a universal response: her son,” her loved ones wrote.
“Shanelle worked tirelessly to build an enviable life for the two of them, ensuring he had every opportunity to succeed. She took great pride in being a mother and poured all her resources into building a supportive and loving environment.”
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