NJ - Karen Piotti, 63, murdered in her Ho-Ho-Kus home, 1 Sept 2014 *Insanity*

OkieGranny

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http://www.northjersey.com/news/seemingly-close-ho-ho-kus-family-torn-apart-by-slaying-1.1079665

His mother doted on him when he was a child and they remained close while he attended college, according to friends. They said he seemed to have everything going for him and a comfortable life — a job as a TV stagehand while he pursued a career in music, a backyard pool at his parents’ house in wealthy Ho-Ho-Kus, even Giants season tickets.

Nicholas Piotti, 24, a onetime lacrosse standout at Ridgewood High School, remained in a psychiatric hospital Tuesday, authorities said, one day after police said he beat and stabbed his mother, 63-year-old Karen, to death in their Ho-Ho-Kus home.

Police found her body inside the family’s Timberline Road home with stab wounds and “beating trauma” early Monday after responding to an aborted 911 call, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said. He said he did not know who made the call and that Karen Piotti’s husband, James, was not at home at the time of the killing, which happened after midnight Monday.

http://cliffviewpilot.com/ho-ho-kus-man-remains-hospitalized-on-2m-bail-in-mothers-murder/

A Ho-Ho-Kus man charged with stabbing and beating his 63-year-old mother to death in their home overnight remained held at Bergen Regional Medical Center on $2 million tonight, several hours after he apparently hyperventilated while being questioned by detectives.

Nicholas Piotti, 24, remained secured to his hospital bed under guard, charged with murder and weapons offenses in the brutal killing of Karen Spector Piotti.

The former lacrosse player at Ridgewood High School, Marist College, and St. John’s University was “breathing normally,” a law enforcement source told CLIFFVIEW PILOT tonight. “But he hasn’t eaten and he isn’t talking to anyone.”
 
So sad...that poor woman.


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I am guessing he developed some sort of psychiatric disorder.
Considering they are keeping him in a psychiatric hospital. He is about the age when some of the serious mental diseases start to manifest.

It's really the only place to take prisoners with any "issues". It started out that he was "hyperventilating" and it sounds like now he's kinda catatonic...not talking, not eating. I wonder if they considered him to be on something when they arrived at the home. This is a beautiful neighborhood. Sounds like he had a very nice life. Really sad story.
 
It's really the only place to take prisoners with any "issues". It started out that he was "hyperventilating" and it sounds like now he's kinda catatonic...not talking, not eating. I wonder if they considered him to be on something when they arrived at the home. This is a beautiful neighborhood. Sounds like he had a very nice life. Really sad story.

Now, this is a wild guess, but catatonia could be present in schizophrenia.
 
I came upon what appears to be a recently developed website to solicit money for his defense. From what it says, he had mental health issues for several years. This sounds similar to the case of a state senator in Va whose son was bipolar and attacked him with a knife after being denied a place in a psychiatric hospital (then the son killed himself). It doesn't of course mean he is legally insane, but could certainly explain what went on here. Very sad to be raising a child with a lot of promise then this child develop mental health issues, in their late teens/early twenties, which is when a lot of these disorders start to manifest themselves.
Parents are the ones trying to help them, but sometimes these patients turn on the parents.
 
Or depression or it can be a stand alone diagnosis until they get his medical records or are able to diagnose him.
 
Or depression or it can be a stand alone diagnosis until they get his medical records or are able to diagnose him.

Oh I am pretty sure he had a diagnosis for several years already. There is a statement on the legal fund website about schizophrenia (even though it doesn't specifically says that's what he has). So I think it's a fair guess he is schizophrenic.
 
From July 2015:

http://www.northjersey.com/news/cri...ry-indicts-piotti-on-murder-charges-1.1371028

A state grand jury in Hackensack produced a three-count indictment on June 29 against Nicholas Piotti, 24, formally charging him in the death of his 63-year-old mother, Karen Piotti, who was found by police at their Ho-Ho-Kus home. He also faces two counts of criminal possession of a weapon...

In late September, John Weichsel, Piotti's attorney, said his client had psychiatric problems, and the defense team would likely pursue an insanity case.

"The family knew he was ill and tried to get him help. Unfortunately, it didn't work," Weichsel told The Record. "The family totally believes that Nick was severely ill at the time."
 
From last month:

Ho-Ho-Kus man found not guilty of murdering his mother by reason of insanity

http://www.northjersey.com/news/ho-ho-kus-man-found-not-guilty-of-murdering-his-mother-by-reason-of-insanity-1.1649260

At the time a Ho-Ho-Kus man killed his mother two years ago, he believed she was the mythological monster Medusa and would turn him to stone, according to testimony at a bench trial Tuesday that found him not guilty of murder by reason of insanity.

State Superior Court Judge Margaret Foti made the decision in the case of Nicholas Piotti, 25, following a trial of about 90 minutes.

She sentenced Piotti to 81.5 years on Krol status, meaning his behavioral health is monitored for that period of time by the court. The amount of time is based on how much prison time he would have faced for the offenses. Those who are on Krol status have court reviews every three to six months where doctors testify about their progress.

Outside the courtroom, Neary said the family would not comment but they are “relieved now” that the legal proceedings are over and “the healing process can start.”

It’s unlikely that Piotti will be committed for the entire 81.5 years, Neary said.

“He’s very treatable and that ultimately could lead to his release,” he said.
 

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