A Ho-Ho-Kus New Jersey man has been indicted by a Bergen County grand jury in connection with the stabbing death of his mother.

According to Bergen County NJ prosecutors, the 24-year-old suspect used a knife to kill his 63-year-old mother in September 2014. The suspect reportedly beat his mother prior to fatally stabbing her.

The victim was found at her residence when police officers got to the scene. Police responded to the house after receiving an aborted 911 distress call.

The suspect has been charged with first degree murder. Additionally, the suspect faces charges for unlawful possession of a weapon because he allegedly used a knife to commit the homicide.

During earlier court appearances, the suspect’s defense lawyer indicated that he would be pursuing an insanity defense on behalf of his client. According to the suspect’s attorney, the suspect was not responsible for his actions on the night of the homicide because he was mentally ill and should have been housed in a mental health facility.

The suspect used to be lacrosse star at Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood, NJ. At the time of the killing, he was employed as a stagehand for ABC-7 and trying to break into the music industry.

If the suspect is ultimately convicted on the murder charges, he would be subject to severe penalties. N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3 classifies murder as a first degree felony. Although first degree felonies typically carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in New Jersey State Prison, a criminal homicide conviction can result in a sentence of 30 years to life in state prison.

The suspect is being held at the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack NJ on a $2 million bail amount. He will return to Bergen County Superior Court in August for an arraignment on the murder charges.

For further information about this case, see the NJ.com article entitled “Grand Jury Indicts Man Accused of Killing Mother, Report Says.”