Man Found Guilty of Murdering His Mother is Committed to Oregon State Hospital
A 28-year-old Portland man found guilty except for insanity for the murder of his mother in October last year by a Multnomah County Judge on Monday has been committed to the Oregon State Hospital.
Teresa A. Graham (59) was found dead in bed at her home on Southwest Menefee Drive in Hillsdale, Portland, on October 20, 2023.
Autopsy Revealed that Teresa A. Graham Was Strangled
A medical examiner initially found no visible signs of injury, but an autopsy revealed evidence of manual strangulation.
Court documents from the same year as her death reveal that Teresa Graham reported a deterioration in her son’s mental health after he had suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2018. She said Austin H. Graham was unable to work, did not eat or wash himself, and experienced hallucinations. Teresa Graham said the family had tried to find professional psychiatric care for her son but that he had left home and lived on the streets.
Teresa Graham Was Murdered Shortly After Obtaining Guardianship of her Son
The woman was granted guardianship of her son shortly before she was murdered. At that time, Austin Graham told police he believed his mother was trying to poison him.
On Monday, three Multnomah County deputies led Austin Graham into the courtroom, where Judge David Rees found that the accused was unable to conduct his own defense because of his mental health.
Judge Rees ordered Austin to be committed to the Oregon State Hospital under the Psychiatric Security Review Board for a period not exceeding life and with credit for time served. The judge also forbade Austin from possessing or purchasing firearms.
Austin Graham confirmed that he was taking his medication when asked by the judge. Judge Rees then urged him to continue taking his meds and to listen to his doctors, to which Graham responded…’It helps me…I’m being honest.’
Graham turned to family in the gallery saying: ‘I’m sorry for your loss’ as he was led out of the courtroom.