Florida Man Arrested After Confessing to Stabbing Mother to Death

Alexander George Harrington, 50, was arrested on Friday in Delray Beach, Florida, after he allegedly confessed to fatally stabbing his mother, Susan Baratto Harrington, 77. Police discovered her body on the living room floor of their shared home, covered in stab wounds. A knife with a black handle, which Harrington indicated he used, was found nearby.

Harrington reportedly called the Boca Raton Police Department non-emergency line at 2:03 p.m. to report the incident. The call was transferred to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, where he again confessed to the killing. Paramedics also reported that Harrington stated he killed his mother when they treated him for a cut on his arm.

Hours before the alleged murder, Harrington posted a series of social media updates described as "deranged" and "rambling," according to the Daily Mail. These posts featured themes of love, peace, forgiveness, and spiritual warfare. In one post at 1:50 p.m. on Thursday, he wrote, "I AM LOVE. i AM PEACE AND i AM LOVE." He also posted variations on this theme, stating, "I am faith truth and love... I release all illusions, I release all fears... i AM LOVE AND LIGHT. YOU ARE LOVE AND LIGHT WE ARE LOVE AND LIGHT."

In a six-minute live video posted around 7 p.m. Thursday, Harrington spoke to his nearly 5,000 Facebook friends about the importance of forgiving others. "If you don't open up the door to your heart to heal, you're going to make the same mistakes over and over again," he stated. He claimed to have forgiven everyone who had ever hurt him and also wrote down and "killed" his fears. He described himself as a "warrior nun" or "Superman" who had "killed all my demons in my past lives and this one."

According to the charging affidavit, Harrington told police he had been sober since 2007 and was taking medication for schizoaffective disorder with bipolar features. His online activity in recent months included frequent positive affirmations and spirituality mixed with Christian, Hindu, and Buddhist ideologies. He presented himself as an "intuitive healer" who performed rituals to "balance and align [your] chakra."

In a post from April 1, Harrington mentioned forgiving family members and wrote, "I cut the umbilical cords from my mother and that was deeply needed. Now I can heal and become whole and complete." It is unclear what led to the breaks in his posting history, which included posts from June of last year, April 2023, and November 2020.

Harrington's sister, Hillary Blue, told local media that her brother had long-standing mental health issues and had been living with his mother after recently losing his home. A Facebook post from July indicated Harrington was seeking a new place to live.

Police have not officially listed a motive for the alleged murder. Harrington was denied bail by a judge on Monday after refusing to attend his arraignment. His next court appearance is scheduled for October 11.