By Matthew Xiao
Tyree Smith, who had spent 10 years in a psychiatric hospital after killing a homeless man and then eating his brain and eyeballs in December 2011, was recently released by authorities, reports the Connecticut Post.
Smith’s cousin, Nicole Rabb, testified during a trial in July 2013 that she saw Smith with blood on his pants and carrying chopsticks and a bloody axe one day after Smith talked to her about Greek gods and his desire to get blood, the outlet reported.
Bridgeport man who killed and ate a man is released after spending 10 years in psychiatric hospital https://t.co/UwG4yBQpy9
— Connecticut Post (@connpost) September 29, 2023
Smith told Rabb he killed a man with the axe and ate his brain and eyeballs while drinking alcohol at a cemetery, adding that he wanted to eat more people. Officials later found body parts of the victim, Angel Gonzalez, in the abandoned apartment where Smith used to live during childhood, along with the axe and an empty alcohol bottle in a nearby stream bed.
The court found Smith not guilty of murder on grounds of insanity, but sentenced him to a state psychiatric hospital for 60 years, per the outlet. Smith reportedly heard voices telling him to eat the victim’s brain and eyes so they could gain a deeper insight into human behavior and see into the “spirit realm.”(RELATED: French Cannibal Who Ate Farmer’s Organs With A Side Of Beans Escapes From Psych Ward)
Recently, after about 10 years in Connecticut’s most secure psychiatric hospital, the state Psychiatric Security Review Board reportedly deemed Smith fit for reintegration into society. The board’s report cited Smith’s “clinical stability,” medication compliance and active participation in treatment, as well as years without exhibiting symptoms.
Smith is now reportedly living in a group home where he is expected to continue his rehabilitation journey under supervision and not associate with individuals linked to criminal activities, per the board’s directives.
The report noted, “[Smith] denied experiencing cravings but stated that if they were to arise, he would reach out to his hospital and community supports and providers.”
