Angelynn Mock, a former television news anchor in St. Louis, pleaded guilty on Friday to first-degree murder for the death of her 80-year-old mother. The plea was entered during an evidentiary hearing in Wichita, Kansas, following the October 31 incident at their shared home.
The Wichita Police Department reported that officers found Anita Avers with multiple stab wounds to her face, neck, torso, and arms at approximately 7:50 a.m. on Halloween morning. Avers was transported to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead less than an hour later. Mock was arrested that same day in connection with the fatality.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Mock told investigators she killed Avers because she believed her mother was "the devil" and was attempting to attack her with knives. Mock’s stepfather, Barry Avers, informed police that Mock had previous diagnoses of bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder. He also stated that Mock had been laid off from her news career following an incident involving alcohol.
In January, Sedgwick County District Court documents indicated that Mock was deemed incompetent to stand trial. That ruling was reversed in late July, allowing the criminal proceedings to continue. Mock had previously worked as a full-time anchor for KTVI Fox 2 from 2011 to 2015 before transitioning into sales and business roles.
The outcome directly affects Mock, who faces sentencing for first-degree murder, a charge that typically carries significant prison time in Kansas. While the specific sentence has not yet been determined, the transition from an incompetency ruling in January to a guilty plea in August illustrates the role of court-ordered psychiatric evaluations and treatment in restoring a defendant's ability to stand trial. The case also draws attention to the challenges faced by families managing schizoaffective disorder, a condition that combines symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations or delusions, with mood disorder symptoms.
Following the plea, the next formal step in the legal process is the sentencing hearing. The Sedgwick County District Court has scheduled this proceeding for October 5. At that time, the judge will determine the duration and nature of Mock's incarceration or treatment. The proceedings will conclude the state's prosecution of the case initiated by the Wichita Police Department last October.