The Connecticut man charged with murder after allegedly calling 911 to confess he killed his mom reportedly took a gruesome forensics class while attending New Canaan High School just a few years ago.
A former classmate of Sebastian Van Stockum, 20, told TMZ she took the course with the alleged killer, where they were taught how to study and solve mock crime scenes.
Classwork, she said, included analyzing skeletons, learning about DNA, watching a documentary about human corpses and running experiments using fake blood to see how it spatters.
Van Stockum’s former classmate, who was not identified, said that while she enjoyed the class, she now finds it creepy that she studied crime with the alleged killer, whom she described as “socially awkward” and unable to fit in with other students.
Police in toney New Canaan arrested Van Stockum late Friday night after he allegedly called the cops to turn himself in. Responding officers arrived at the home on Gerdes Road to find a female victim suffering serious injuries to which she succumbed at the scene.
The victim has since been identified as Laura Williams, who prosecutors said was “bludgeoned to death” in the home she shared with her son. TMZ reported Van Stockum mumbled to police that he tried to use a knife, a hammer and his hands to kill her.
His mugshot showed that at some point he received multiple facial lacerations during the fatal altercation. It’s unclear what led up to the apparent confrontation that left Williams dead.
According to News 12 Connecticut, his attorney declined to comment on if Van Stockum has prior mental health issues.
Van Stockum is currently being held on $2 million bond and is next scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 3.
