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Suspect's parents 'devastated' by vicious Martin County attack that killed couple

Attorney says still many unknowns in the case
Posted at 4:36 AM, Aug 17, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-17 05:54:23-04

The man suspected of killing two people in Martin County on Monday night is hospitalized in serious condition.

Austin Harrouff is under surveillance at St. Mary’s Medical Center with guards by his side.

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Harrouff's attorney Michelle Suskauer, who is also a WPTV legal analyst, says she will be representing Harrouff if he survives.

 

“My client is in very serious condition in the hospital. He is in intensive care and his parents have not been permitted to be by his side,” Suskauer said. “We’re going to continue to request that his parents be permitted to be there with him. He can’t communicate. He’s sedated and he’s intubated. But, they want to be there to hold his hand."

Suskauer said Tuesday night there are still many unknowns in the case, and some information we may never know without talking to Harrouff directly.

“Obviously we don’t know what predicated these acts. But certainly, there are mental health issues that are going to have to be investigated here. We don’t know if anything is going to show up on toxicology or not,” said Suskauer.

Detectives say 59-year-old John Stevens and his 53-year-old wife, Michelle Mishcon, died in the attack.

(Listen to the 911 call below)

Suskauer has met with Harrouff’s parents. She describes him as a wonderful kid who graduated high school, was in college and spending the summer in Martin County working and living with family. He has no prior criminal history.

“Everyone is in absolute shock. His family is completely devastated, devastated for the other family and certainly devastated for their son,” said Suskauer.

Investigators said Harrouff was not on cocaine, pot or opiates during the attack but have not ruled out other drugs like "flakka" or "bath salts."

MORE: Increasingly popular synthetic drug flakka behind bizarre crimes