STUART, Fla. — A Florida man accused of killing his mother left a note that allegedly said that he “gave into the devil,” authorities said.
Darren Keith Pouncey, 34, of Port Salerno, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, according to Martin County Sheriff’s Office online booking records. He made his first appearance in court on Tuesday.
Pouncey is accused of killing Christina Ruth Diorio, 58, of Port Salerno, WPEC-TV reported. The medical examiner has determined Diorio died of blunt force trauma, the sheriff’s office told TCPalm.com.
Man accused of killing his mom in Martin County. What the suspect asked a neighbor, CBS12's @dylanhubermantv has the answer.https://t.co/cWCdR4k3nf pic.twitter.com/gQSpLEroqz
— WPEC CBS12 News (@CBS12) January 3, 2023
According to sheriff’s office Sgt. Dan DuLac, Pouncey was found in the home with blood on his hands when neighbors and deputies found Diorio’s body on Dec. 31, TCPalm.com reported.
DuLac said Pouncey, a U.S. Army veteran, had been diagnosed with PTSD and previously had been taken into custody under Florida’s Baker Act, according to the news outlet. The Baker Act allows people to be detained -- voluntarily or involuntarily -- in a mental health facility for up to 72 hours.
According to an arrest affidavit, detectives said they found blood on the porch of the residence, on the latch of the screen porch door, inside of the door and on the glass portion of the entrance.
TCPalm.com reported that detectives found a wallet that reportedly belonged to Pouncey and an open notebook on a chair with a note written in ink. According to the arrest affidavit, the note read, “Soo I gave into the Devil Tonight!! Apparently. I’ve tried to love but it seems love is dead and people just got (expletive) instead. No rhyme or reason!! I love you, but I have become accustomed to the hell this world is ... I belong. I’m sorry.”
Investigators said a neighbor received a text from Diorio that read, “I need ur help” at 11:14 p.m. EST on Dec. 30 but did not see the message until the next day, WPEC reported.
After trying to reach Diorio over the phone, the neighbor entered the residence with a spare key she had and found the woman dead, TCPalm.com reported.
According to detectives, the neighbor said that Diorio was covered with a blanket and part of her face was “bloody and messed up,” the news outlet reported.
The neighbor’s husband also entered the residence and told deputies that they saw Pouncey standing at the doorway of the bedroom where his mother was found.
“Darren Pouncey asked the neighbor for a gun, and the neighbor obviously did not give him a gun, and he’s currently on suicide watch in our jail,” Dulac told reporters.
The woman went outside and called 911, TCPalm reported.
Pouncey remains in custody, according to WPEC.
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