MIDDLETOWN, Conn. — A man from Connecticut has been granted conditional release from a maximum-security psychiatric facility after being deemed not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of a man with a hatchet, an act that included cannibalistic behavior. This decision has sparked apprehension from both the victim’s family and various lawmakers in the state.
Tyree Smith was sentenced to Whiting Forensic Hospital for a duration of 60 years back in 2013 following the murder of Angel Gonzalez. The brutal crime took place in January 2012, with Gonzalez’s dismembered body discovered in an unoccupied apartment in Bridgeport approximately one month post-murder. Testimony from Smith’s cousin revealed troubling details, claiming he had consumed parts of Gonzalez’s brain and an eyeball while drinking sake.
On Friday, the Psychiatric Security Review Board approved Smith’s conditional release, after a psychiatrist testified that Smith’s schizophrenia, along with his issues related to drugs and alcohol, were successfully managed through treatment and medication. This conditional release allows Smith to live in a community setting, under strict supervision while continuing his treatment program. For the past nine months, Smith has been living at a community facility offering around-the-clock supervision, and the ruling on Friday officially discharges him from the hospital.
During the review hearing, Talitha Frazier, the sister-in-law of the deceased Gonzalez, expressed her concerns about Smith possibly concealing his mental health condition. “How do we really know he’s not going to do this again?” she questioned, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding his mental state post-release.
State Senators Heather Somers, Paul Cicarella, Henri Martin, and Stephen Harding voiced strong objections to the decision, labeling it “outrageous” and “mind-boggling.” In a statement released Friday afternoon, they expressed their fears regarding public safety, stating, “This terrible decision puts public safety in jeopardy and sends a disastrous message to Connecticut’s violent crime victims and their families. This person should never be out.”
During the board hearing, Smith attended virtually along with his attorney. However, due to safety concerns stemming from media scrutiny, Smith was not visible to those present. The circumstances surrounding his case continue to raise significant ethical and legal questions.
