Face-biting murder suspect may have ingested chemicals, Florida sheriff says

Austin Harrouff remains in critical but stable condition at hospital

Austin Harrouff

STUART, Fla. – A Florida sheriff says a college student caught biting a victim's face after stabbing and beating the man and his wife to death in a random attack may have ingested "caustic" chemicals from the couple's garage.

Martin County Sheriff William Snyder told news outlets that Austin Harrouff remains in critical but stable condition at a West Palm Beach hospital a week after the attack that killed 59-year-old John Stevens and 53-year-old Michelle Mishcon outside their home near Jupiter.

Recommended Videos



Snyder says hospital officials "speculated" the night of the attack that Harrouff could have ingested the chemicals based on what they were seeing in his body fluids. The FBI is running tests to determine whether he was under the influence of either bath salts or a drug called flakka.

Snyder says the toxicology reports will provide "a big piece of the unknown."


Recommended Videos