Victim's son wants prosecutors to seek death penalty against face-biting suspect
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ John Stevens IV says he doesn't need to know exactly what led a teen to allegedly kill his father and stepmother.
Or why the teen allegedly gnawed on his dead father's face.
What Stevens does want is for prosecutors to seek the death penalty against Austin Harrouff, the 19-year-old Florida State University student accused of slaying John Stevens, 59, and Michelle Mishcon Stevens, 53.
"It is not super important to me what his mindset was," Stevens said of Harrouff on Thursday. "I just want to see the prosecutor ask for the death penalty. I want him to go through that process and to pay for what he did."
Ivy Stevens, John Stevens' daughter, echoed her brother's sentiments about what she wanted to happen next. "I hope he makes a full recovery so he can be put through the justice system," she said.
Harrouff, who was visiting family and friends on summer break, stormed out of a family dinner at Duffy's Sports Grill in Jupiter on Monday evening, walked about three miles and then killed John Stevens and Michelle Mishcon Stevens as they sat in the garage of their Tequesta home, Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said.
The couple suffered stab wounds and blunt-force trauma during the attack, officials said. A motive hasn't been established, and it doesn't appear Harrouff knew the couple, Snyder said.
A neighbor, Jeff Fisher, 47, was stabbed several times when he tried to intervene before deputies arrived. Fisher has since been released from the hospital and is home with family, the Sheriff's Office said.
John Stevens IV, 28, said Thursday he's grateful Fisher confronted the attacker.
"Jeff from across the street is a hero," he said. "Without Jeff he could have easily gone from that house to the next one."
It took several deputies and a canine to subdue Harrouff, who was grunting, making animal-like noises and chewing John Stevens' face. A stun gun seemed to have no effect, and it appeared Harrouff had "abnormal strength," Snyder said.
On Thursday, Harrouff was in stable condition at the hospital, heavily sedated and using a breathing tube, officials said. Detectives have not been able to question him.
_Sun Sentinel
