In a gruesome incident, a man consumed parts of his friend’s brain and eyes, likening them to the taste of oysters.
Tyree Smith, aged 35, had been speaking obsessively about Greek deities and had a disturbing desire to shed blood before he viciously murdered Angel ‘Tun Tun’ Gonzalez with a hatchet in December 2011. Gonzalez’s mutilated body was found in an abandoned residence in Bridgeport, where Smith had resided as a child, in January 2012.
Smith’s cousin, Nicole Rabb, testified that Smith had visited her home the day prior, rambling about Greek gods and his urge to spill blood. The following day, he returned covered in blood, armed, and confessed to consuming Gonzalez’s organs, including describing the taste of the eye as resembling an oyster, while under the influence of Sake.
Expressing regret for his actions in court in 2013, Smith acknowledged his remorse, stating that his behavior was not a reflection of his true self. However, Gonzalez’s sister-in-law, Talitha Frazier, raised concerns about the potential for Smith to repeat such horrific acts, questioning his future actions.
After a review by Connecticut’s Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB), Smith was permitted to leave Connecticut Valley Hospital in Middletown in February, having spent a 60-year sentence in a maximum-security mental facility. Subsequently, he resided in a group home in Waterbury after being deemed stable by the PSRB.
Despite concerns raised by State Senator Paul Cicarella about Smith’s release following his heinous crimes, Dr. Caren Teitelbaum described Smith as a positive influence in the group home setting, emphasizing his stability and adherence to treatment protocols.
Medical professionals cautioned that discontinuing Smith’s medication could pose a risk, although a forensic psychiatrist assured the board that Smith’s schizophrenia was under control. His release was conditional on continued treatment and strict supervision in a communal environment.
Recent reports indicated that Smith was officially discharged from Whiting Forensic Hospital in February, following a ruling that he posed a threat to himself and others in 2013. The decision to release Smith sparked outrage among senators and concerns about public safety.
State Senators expressed disappointment and alarm over the decision to release Smith, citing it as a danger to public safety and a distressing message to victims of violent crimes and their families. They strongly opposed Smith’s release, labeling it as “outrageous” and “mind-boggling.”
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