Authorities have made a discovery more shocking than finding 19-year-old Florida student Austin Harouff biting the face of a man he had fatally stabbed: the Palm Beach Post is reporting that Harouff did not have flakka or bath salts in his system during the stabbing.
In a statement, Harouff’s attorney Nellie King revealed the results of the FBI's drug test. According to King, the FBI’s Quantico, Virginia drug lab found Harouff had drugs that were “medically introduced” into his system at St. Mary’s Medical Center, where he was treated for injuries after the stabbing. Minimal levels of THC and alcohol were also found in the test’s results. The alcohol source wasn’t specified, and could have been from Harouff swallowing chemicals in the home garage of the couple he fatally attacked. King said Harouff, “is struggling with severe mental illness and the judicial process will bear all of this out in due time.”
Harouff, a Florida State University student, fatally stabbed John Stevens III, 59, and Michelle Mishcon, 53, on Aug. 15. Harouff then stabbed a neighbor who tried to intervene during the unprovoked attack.
Authorities first drug tested the teen for drugs like marijuana and cocaine, and the tests were negative. He was later tested for bath salts and flakka due to the nature of the attack. Court documents revealed Harouff told paramedics at the time that he had smoked marijuana and drank alcohol, despite telling authorities on the scene to test him because he had no drugs in his system.
Martin County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Harouff on Oct. 3, after a several-week hospitalization. Last week he pled not guilty to charges of first degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and burglary.
