Opinion ID: 2586480
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Testimony of Joan Willis

Text: In October 1986, Joan met defendant, and a couple of months later, defendant was hospitalized after a motorcycle accident. Around this time, defendant contacted his estranged father, who wanted nothing to do with him. Defendant took this very hard, and shortly thereafter, sought rehabilitation for heroin abuse. In early 1987, he moved in with Joan and her family. Defendant frequently had random, violent outbursts towards Joan and others. He could be kind and loving, but also verbally abusive and violent. He was paranoid and sometimes said he was going crazy. Defendant held several jobs over the years but lost each one because he argued with fellow employees and did not take direction very well. He had no friends. During 1991 and 1992, the family experienced financial pressures. Joan feared she would lose her home because the Social Security benefits two of her children received were going to expire. Joan lent defendant several thousand dollars to purchase the janitorial contracts at Quintessence with the expectation that Jeremy would work with defendant. Defendant quit using alcohol and drugs except marijuana. He attended counseling, read self-help books, attended church, and used other techniques, including drinking chamomile tea, to address his stresses and calm himself. Defendant began losing his janitorial accounts and became frustrated and depressed. He attempted suicide in front of Joan by superficially slitting his wrists and cutting the skin on his stomach. The day before the murder, defendant was irate because the accounting department at Quintessence did not have a paycheck ready for him. He told Joan he would quit his accounts the following day. Joan called Quintessence but was unable to resolve the problem with defendant's paycheck.