Ramara man admits to stabbing mother 30x after eating cannabis brownies

Warning: Details in this article may be disturbing to some readers.

Michael Lahay pleaded guilty to manslaughter for stabbing his mother, Wendy, 30 times inside their Ramara home in 2021 while experiencing "substance-induced psychosis" after he ate a dozen homemade cannabis brownies.

The Agreed Statement of Facts was read to the court after Lahay, 33, pleaded guilty to killing his mother and stabbing his stepfather on the night of February 13, 2021.

The court heard Lahay, who was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome as a child, was consuming cannabis edibles for months after refusing to take prescribed medication.

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In September 2020, police were called to the Monck Road home when Wendy Lahay was concerned for her son's well-being. Lahay had left the home after consuming cannabis edibles and wandered onto another property before stripping naked and submerging himself in a swamp. His mother said something was "really wrong" with her son.

The court document states that in January, Lahay routinely consumed homemade cannabis edibles, "which Wendy Lahay had been obtaining for him, as a form of intended treatment for his Tourette distress."

Two days before the February attack, Lahay told his mother he no longer had any Tourette tics and was feeling free of distress. She told loved ones she was concerned by his unusual change in state.

The night of the attack, Lahay's stepfather, who was 73 at the time, recalled Michael having a bizarre 'zombie' look on his face. Lahay removed his clothing and began rambling with his fists clenched. He was staring at the kitchen ceiling and told his stepfather he "should've died that night in the swamp."

The court heard that as his stepfather reached out to try and calm him, Lahay punched him and knocked him to the ground, hitting him repeatedly. His stepfather yelled for Wendy to call 911, and that's when Lahay grabbed a knife from the kitchen and made his way to his mother's bedroom.

Wendy was later found to have 30 stab wounds, including defensive wounds to her hands. Lahay's stepfather, the court heard, tried to stop him, hitting him several times with a frying pan, but Lahay was unfazed.

Wendy was 47 years old at the time of her death.

Witnesses recalled hearing a woman's voice screaming, "I still love you," and then the screaming stopped.

Lahay left the house and  wandered onto the roadway naked. He was eventually arrested by Rama police.

The 33-year-old has been in custody since being charged with the murder of his mother and attempted murder of his stepfather.  

Lahay's family was in court to hear the guilty plea. He was emotional while the facts were read to the court, waving to loved ones.

The sentencing hearing is scheduled to begin in early September.