Son admits killing his own mother by stabbing her nearly 100 times saying ‘I had an urge to kill’

A son has admitted to killing own mother by stabbing her nearly 100 times during a frenzied attack. 21-year-old Zak O’Neill, who is now 21, called 999 after inflicting 92 wounds on Michelle O’Neill, 47, and told them "I had an urge to kill."

After the attack, he turned up at a pub and told staff: "I’ve killed my mum. I tried to kill myself." The incident occurred on March 15 2022 when Zak was just 19, and he denied a charge of murder but admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Yesterday, on Wednesday, September 6, Judge William Hart sentenced him to a hospital order after hearing he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. He will remain there until he is deemed fit for release.

Judge Hart described the incident as ‘the stuff of nightmares’. Bristol Crown Court heard O’Neill had previously searched online for ‘family killers’ and ‘suicide’. He reportedly contacted cops a day before the attack, expressing concern regarding his mental health.

The body of the victim was discovered by her own mother, who returned to the family home in Cheltenham to find Michelle laid on the living room floor with multiple wounds to the head and neck.

The court heard that in total, the victim sustained a total of 92 injuries at the hands of her son, the court heard. Around an hour later, O’Neill told cops: "I killed someone - I felt an urge to kill. I’ve cut my wrists and stabbed myself."

Judge Hart said: "This is a tragic, miserable case. There was no sign of conflict with his mother. A blameless woman whose life was cut short in brutal circumstances."