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Police: 19-year-old blames LSD for murder of mother in Frederick

David Frederick Miner IV is held without bond at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center.

FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. — LSD made him do it: That's what Frederick police say a 19-year-old told them about why he murdered his mom in a hallucinogenic rage when she tried to stop him from killing the family dog.

David Frederick Miner IV, 19, is charged with both first-and second-degree murder, first-degree assault, three counts of second-degree assault and resisting and interfering with an arrest.

The Frederick Police Department responded to the 100 block of Deerfield Place around 7 p.m. to find a woman suffering from a stab wound. EMT first responders pronounced her dead at the scene. 

Officers took Miner into custody at the scene.

A mugshot shows David Miner with his face bloody and bruised. Frederick police said after initially surrendering, he started resisting, head-butting, kicking and trying to bite officers when they were arresting him.

Credit: Frederick Adult Detention Center


The court documents tell the bizarre story: On a quiet Sunday afternoon, police say the teen told them he went out for a ride with his two sisters after taking LSD.

He came home, still "tripping," he allegedly told investigators, and got a sudden urge to kill the family dog, Draco. He grabbed a kitchen knife, his mom stopped him, told him he didn't need to kill the dog, and when she tried to stop him a second time, detectives said he stabbed her to death.

"He was very clear in his statements that he was on a hallucinogenic drug, he had a urge to kill his dog, his mother took the knife away one time, he went back to get the knife the second time, and at that point, for whatever reason, he stabbed the mother. Those are the words out of his own mouth," said Frederick Police Lt. Kirk Henneberry.
   
Samantha Miner was just 45. Police said her husband was outside, heard her screaming, came in and tried to save her. As David Miner, III was on the phone with 911, police said you can hear her son admitting, "I killed mom."
 
Neighbors and police say there's no history of problems at the home on Deerfield Place. So this is a real mystery.

Lt. Henneberry said Frederick police have seen suspects thrown into violent rages by PCP, but never LSD.
   
As you might imagine, the rest of the Miner family is in shock. The two sisters came by the house briefly, but said they were not up to talking.

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