HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) --The son of an Alief
ISD board member, Blake Jefferson, entered an insanity plea in
connection to the fatal stabbing of his mother, Dedre Jefferson.
ABC13's Marla Carter was in the courtroom for the plea. She will have reaction from family members on Eyewitness News at 11 a.m.
Blake Jefferson was found not guilty by reason of insanity Wednesday.
Investigators said Blake fatally stabbed his mother inside their townhome.
Family
members expressed concern for his mental health around the time the act
was committed in 2016. Relatives remarked that Blake was an honors
student studying at Texas Southern University. But Dedre noticed her son
was acting different.
Before Dedre's death, Blake had gone to a
church trying to speak to a pastor about spiritual visions that he was
having. Just a few days later, Dedre was with Blake when she was on the
phone with her mother, noting that he was acting strange.
Investigators
said during that call she screamed that he was stabbing her and the
call cut off. Dedre's mom called 911 and deputies found her dead inside
the home.
Authorities found Blake hiding in a neighbor's closet.
According
to a family spokesperson, Blake, who was admitted to St. Joseph's
Hospital after his arrest, may have not known what had happened, but was
in shock when he found out from his grandmother.