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Sam Vanochen prior to the start of Tuesday’s trial- pool photo Hutch News
HUTCHINSON -The trial for a Kansas teen accused of the murder of his mother and sister continued on Tuesday with an expert witness for the defense still on the stand.
Dr. Kathleen Heide, a mental health counselor from Florida who specializes in kids who kill their parents is testifying about her examination of Samuel Vonachen.
He is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder and aggravated arson after allegedly setting a fire to his family’s home back on September 26, 2013.
On Tuesday, she told the jury of her conversation with the teen over what he remembers from the night of the fire.
She testified he described it as being like it was part of a dream, as an out of body experience.
Prior to starting the fire, he told her he was in bed feeling light headed with his heart pounding, hearing strange things with strange thoughts.
He told her he remembered going to the garage to get the gas can and like it was a dream. He then remembered being on the front porch with the gas can and entering the front door, wondering what he was doing, saying it was like a foggy dream.
He remembered pouring the gas, but couldn’t recall where he poured it, what rooms or where he was standing when he did it.
Heide testified that Vanochen told her he remembers seeing police cars and remembers telling them, ”that’s my house.” He had his baby blanket with him and remembers telling police he didn’t want it to get burned.
He remembered being at the hospital and later being in a bright room with dark edges which Dr. Heidi thought was probably the interview room at the police station.
He couldn’t remember things he told police and told her it wasn’t until he was in the detention center that he believes the dream was over.
At that time, Heide testified it became real to Vanochen that these things did happen including him pouring the gas inside his home and setting it on fire.
Her testimony is Vanochen’s defense effort to argue that at the time of the crimes, he suffered from a mental disease or defect.
