A Bloomington man has been charged with murder in the stabbing deaths of his parents.
Brian Petersen, 25, appeared via video at a court hearing Monday when a judge set bond at $6 million, the Pantagraph reported.
Prosecutors said Peterson stabbed his mother, Nancy Petersen, 63, three times in the chest and his father, Bruce Petersen, 68, in the back on Sunday morning.
State's Attorney Jason Chambers said Bruce Petersen called emergency dispatchers around 9 a.m. Sunday and told police he and his wife had been stabbed by their son, who lived with them.
Bruce Petersen was getting out of bed when he heard noise and found that his wife had been stabbed, prosecutors said. Brian Petersen then stabbed his father in the back, Chambers said.
Nancy Petersen died at the scene. Bruce Petersen was airlifted to a Peoria hospital, where he died around 3:45 p.m.
Brian Petersen told police that he stabbed his parents, according to Chambers. Peterson told authorities he has reasons for his actions but that he couldn't share them at the time.
Local
Ed Heitz, a neighbor of the Petersens, said Brian Petersen wasn't cooperative with the police as they tried to arrest him Sunday morning.
"They threw him in the squad car," Heitz said. "I've never heard anybody scream so loud in my life. They had to pull him out and hog-tie him because he was trying to kick the windows out of the car."
As the hearing began Monday, Brian Peterson said "What's up?" When asked if he was Brian Petersen, he replied, "Who is Brian Petersen?"
Chambers declined to comment on Brian Petersen's mental health, but said the defense may request a psychiatric evaluation.
Brian Petersen is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment Aug. 12. It wasn't immediately clear if Brian Petersen has an attorney.
