odes Avera Health @ Services 17-September.2014 AHE Flleft: 60826 Dr. L. Zedkova Alberta Hospital Edmonton Unit 3/5 Forensic Psychiatry Dr. Zedkov: fe: De GROOD, Matthew Douglas bon ‘7-August-1991 Changes: First Degree Murder x 5 am providing this report to you at your request as a consultation supplement te your court ordered evaluation of Matthew De Grood. Mr. Dé Grood was charged with five counts of frst degree murder From events dates ia the early marning hours af 15 April 2034 in Calgary, Alberta, No other psychorlegal 'ssues were Identified in the provided referral information from the Crown's office. This report Is provided to you based on my review of the provided documentation that is listed below, in addition, the clinical assessment of Mr. De Grood occurred on the 17th of Saptember 2014, Mr. De Groad was admitted to our hospital from Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatric Centre for the purpose of this evaluation, Prior to starting my assessment with Mr. De Grood | informed him of the purpose my evaluation and limits to confidentiatity, He indicated that he understood this and, with some reassurance that he was {ree to nat answer any questions posed to him, he proceeded with the interview, which lasted spproximately two hours, He was interviewed in the presence of Dr. Avi Aulath, our Forensie Psychiatry Resident, ‘The information Ihad available to me for the purpose of this evaluation Is as follows; ‘Alberta Hospital Edmonton -Forenale Paychiatry Bor 207, 17480 Fort Road, Edmanton, Alberta, T6i 27 ww albertaheatihservices.ca Page 1 of @Alberta Health @ Servicesale Alberta Health @ Services For this consultation ! will not provide background infarmatton as thishas been well documented ia the files and reports fram Calgary. asked Mr. De Grood about his life in the months prior ta index offenses. He advised he was excited but also stressed about starting lave schoolin Calgary. He stated that he had e number of years where he ‘was interested in att han interest in prosecution, and also advised that he was anxious about starting in a new program. He indicated that he did not have much strass from his home life suggesting that conflict with his sister was not really severe or tao problematic at home. ‘Additionally, he reported that he was not really angry or stressed with his father In spite of some-of the provided information wherein there appears to be some degree of anger and resentment towards sister and her behaviour, and his father's attitude. nding aw school w Mr. De Groad reported that he is not exactly sure when his thinking changed, but suggested that it may have been at least two weeks prior to the index offenses. He reported he began to believe that he was the san of God and also the god Anubis. He reported that he had been reading about and believed that there had been a conspiracy involving the illuminati, werewolves and vampires, and that there was to be 3 war. He indicated to usthat the music he was listening to also referred to him as.a“hero’ citing the lyrics from one of musical bands that he posted on his Facebook account. He reported that he had believed that he was Darth Vader and that his father was on the sid of evil. In addition, he admitted that he began to believe that the evil side Included Barack Obama and Nazls. He believed that the world was to end April 14 because there was a full moon that night, Mir, De Grood indicated to us that he could not recall being worried about his coworkers In the weeks before the index offenses. He indicated he could not recall any sigaificant animosity towards his Box 207, 17484 Fort Road, Eémonton, Alberta, 78 wowalbertaneabnservican.eaade Alberta Health Services coworkers but had same memory about his coworkers behaving in a negative fashion towards him. When pressed, he could not provide further details about this. Mr. Be Grood recounted that on 14 Apel 2014 he went to work as usual but had known that the world was golng to end that day. He purchased gare to protect himself because the vampires and werewolves were on the side of evil. He admitted in our interview that his beliefs about werewolves came from the movie series, Twilight, and his beliefs abaut vampires came from his reading the graphic ‘novel Cirque du Freak. He advised us he was not sure haw he came to believe that he was also fighting medusae that night. Mr. De Grood reported to us that he believed he needed to wear gloves and carry & box cutter that night because it was his job to dismember the bodies from the war thal was at hand and ‘to dispose the bodies before the police arrived because the police were part af the conspiracy. He ‘advised us that he also attended the party with a knife and gave this to his friend Brendan because he believed Brendan was on the good side. He explained that his text messages prior to the assaults were to advise that he did not believe that he was meant to kill anyone, rather, he was to actlike a general, directing soldiers at battle. Mir. De Grood recounted to us that he wasnt sure when the war was supposed to start. He stated to us that as he spoke to Zachariah he began to believe that Zachariah was a werewolf asthey discussed the end of the world, He indicated that he felt Zacharfah was arguing with him but he felt immediately threatened when he said “maybe you'll die before me" to Mr. Dé Grood. It was at this pelnt that Mr. De Grood decided to go to the kitchen to grat the knife to arm himself before Zachariah could attack him. Mr. Oe Grood recounted to us that he aimed at the heart because he believed that this was the only way to killawerewolf. Mr, De Grood reported that the four other victims were attacked because he fett that they were part of the conspiracy, He stated to us that he believed this to be true because earlier In the evening they had snubbed him, specifically that they did not socialize with him or were they friendly. He denied that he was angry with the other four victims, suggesting that he was anxious and panicked because he thought they were on the side of evil. Mr. De Grood then recounted to us that he had suspected the war would start at the house when he first arrived that night because he interpreted some wallart that had a noose in it as a sign of the Impending violence. Further, he recounted to ws that he had heard male voice, who he thought was the devil, telling him to “kil them before they get you". He advised us that he could not converse with the voice but i was directing him and warning him about others. ‘when we asked Mr. De Grood, he reported to us that he would nat have attacked his filends, including Brendan, because he believed they were on the good side. However, he had no recollection of smearing blood on his friend nar calling him 2" blood brother" as he ran from the house. Mr. De Grood indicated tous that he cut his wrist:afterwards because he could not trust the police. He indicated he could not recall why he destroyed his own cellular phone that night. Atberta Hospital Edmonton Forensic Paychlatry Box 207, 17480 For Road, Edmonton, Afberta, TJ 27 wermalbertabealthaervices.ca Page 4 of &als Alberta Health @ Services asked Mr. De Grood about the ways he was feeling better in the last few months since starting his ‘medication (risperidone 3 mg in the morning and 1 mg at night) after he was admitted to the haspltal He Indicated thathe realized that he had believed uaveal things. He described that, since sterting treatment, bis beliefs that hospital staff were Nazis wha are trying to kill him had dissipated wherein he ‘realized this was false. He stated that the medication also helped In decreasing his bellef in, reincarnation and this also decreased his suicidal ideation, He advised that the medication decreased bis depression in that his mood has improved and his appetite has returned, Finally, he reported that, the auditory hallucinations he had experience gradually dissipated and at this time he no longer hears voices. He described that Collateral information A review of the available file Information suggests that Mr. De Grood had a change in his behaviour in the month before the index offenses. Bath his workmates and farnity identified this and cited text messages and posts on Facebook which were out of character. There may have been 8 change in Nis sleeping pattern identified by his mother. Certainly, text messages to workmatesin the weeks before and text messages to his mother on the night of the offenses appear nansensical and referred to iluminat! and various fantastic, fiction references. ‘An eyewitness statement from Safeway identified Mr, De Grood as not looking well when he was at the cashier, Multiple witness statements identified him dressed in an odd fashion at the party that night land It was noted that he gave a garlic clove to his frlend, Brendan, while Nr. De Grood was found to have garlic cloves on his person'when he was arrested. Multiple witness statements identified Mr. De Grood as discussing bizarre subjects, including the end of the world, that night. There were no witnesses that suggested they hed seen him drinking alcohol or using ileit substances. Police reports indicate Mr. De Grood making numerous odd and bizarre statements after arrest, referring at various points to Anubis, iluminatl, werewolves, Meduase, vampires, Darth Vader, Nazis, ack Obama, and pop-culture references to books and mavies. While in hospital in Calgary, it was apparent that Mr. Oe Graod was acutely psychotic and confused, needing medication. in addition, he was placed on constant observation because of sulcida) ideation. There were reports that he expressed parsecutory delusions that staff were going to harm hin and that with medication there ware improvements in his organization, arvxiety, reality testing, and suicidal ideation, ‘Mental Status Examination In my interview with Mr. De Grood he presented as somewhat physically restless, frequently shifting in his seat. His speech was normal in rate and volume but he was clearly araious in spite of a significantly blunted affect. He needed reassurance in order to proceed with the interview. He was polite and while his thought form, that is, his ‘train of thought’ was logical and goal directed, there wasa distinet pauelty ‘Alberia Hospital Edmonton + Feversle Payehlatry Box 207, 17480 Fon Road, Eamonton, ARberts, T5J2I7 were alperaneaithservices.ca Page 5 of 8ads Alberta Health Services Of thought content at times wherein he hed difficulty in elaborating ona number of his answers, He denied any current suicidal ideation and auditory hallucinations. His insight into his illness appeared Superficial. Certainty, the emotional gravity of the offenses was limited as he discussed them with us. However, he did not impress a5 callous. Prychlatric Opinions 1 Atthis time, Mr. De Grood does not present as Certifiable under the Mental Health Act of Alberta, There Is no outstanding duty to warn identified. appears that Mr. De Grood had suffered from a psychatic epkade. The disorganization and delusions identified at the time of the offenses and his response to treatment would not be atypical ofa severe psychotic disorder. It is not clear to me at this time whether the underlying itiness is schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or schizoaffective disorder, Though a prior diagnosis of substence abuse may have been relevant while Mr. De Grood was in high school, it does nat appear that substance abuse plays 8 role in the most recent psychotic iiness. Mr. De Groad presented as fit to stand trial from @ psychiatric perspective, He clearly understood the charges he was facing, the nature and object of the proceedings including the role of various court personnel, the options available to him, and generally, the potential ‘outcomes of the trial. He would have ne difficulty in eammunicating and directing defense counsel, Consideration was given to Section 16 of the criminal code. There is ample evidence to identify that Mr. De Grood was suffering from a mental disorder in the week prior to the Iniiex offenses and during the commission of the offenses. By his own report and via multiple collateral sources It would appear that Mr. De Grood experienced persecutory delusions before, during, and after the index offenses, Treatment with medication has seen a typical respanse in improvement of symptoms and at this tine his presentation of a flattened affect and some degree of perplexity also supports the presence of a psychotic illness. its unlikely that Mr, De Grood has been dissimulating or malingering his condition. Though he had expressed a wide variety of easily accessed "pop culture” beliefs, the themes for these wide range of delusions is not atypical in that they share the characteristic of being persacutory in ature. Further, Me. De Grood's multiple delusions have been consistent both prlor to the catfense and after the offenses, and they had been expressed in various settings Including his home, his work, and online, The seeming randomness of his delustonal beliefs In fact supports ‘the notion that he was genuinely psychotic because of the disorganization that can occur in this state. Finally, there does not appear to be any other clear motive for the offenses. -Atbarta Hospital Edmonton « Forenae Paychistry ‘Box 307, 17480 Fort Road, Edmonton, Alberta, TS! 27 ‘warn albertabealinservices.ca Page 6 of 8ale fr Health Services ‘There are some Issues that may welgh towards malingering such as Mr, De Grood!s presen:ation ‘to-us wherein he appeared to inform us about command hallucinations with a degree of eagerness. However, this can also be understood in that Mr. De Grood may have been trying to provide amare oaclly undarcina and less acd exptareation for his hehovier than the abulnasly preposteraus delusions that might make us think poorly of his inability to use reason. We considered whether Mr. De Grood's prior history of education in psychology could allow hin to malinger. While this is possible, its unlikely that an individual without intimate prior experience of psychiatric treatment could so consistently present realistic symptoms, sustain such over months, and then present such a realistic course of improvement. Insummary, & is my opinion based on this evaluation that itis highly unlikely that Mr. De Grood has been malingering his psychosis. Consideration was given to Mr. De Grood’s motivation for the offenses. In my opinion, itis more likely than not that Mr. De Grood appreciated the nature and quality of his acts in stabbing hhis victims, Mr. De Grood advised that he retrieved the knife in order to assault the first victim and he intended also to assault the other four victims. However, its my opinion that, more likely than nat, Mr, De Grood did not know, or even appreciate, that his behavior was morally wrong bectuse he was operating under # delusion that he was being threatened at the tims. As such, from the psychiatric perspective, it would appear that Mr. De Grood would have a sectlon 16 defense available to him, 5 Consideration was given to alternative hypotheses for Mr, De Grood's behaviour. tn reviewing ‘the collateral information, there was no suggestion that the offenses were motivated by some obvious gan for Mr, De Grood in resources, reputation, or notoriety, It is possible that the ‘motivation for Me. De Grood’s offenses was, In fact, anger and frustration, perhaps as a resalt of being "snubbed" at the party. However, its difficult ta accept such an extreme reaction could bbe elicited from a social situation in someone with no prior severe personality pathology ard functioning, and there appears to be no other major sources of stress, anger, frustration, or loss nthe background to motivate such an extreme reaction. While Mir, De Grood described some anxiety about attending law schoo! there is little to suggest that there was stress or conflictout ‘of the ordinary for this type of fe event, Finally, collateral information has Identified a much more likely motivation to react so aggressively, with the overwhelming evidence of the content ‘of the delusions before and after the offenses. 6 it is noted that this assessment did not consider or review the following areas: 2} medical or somatic reasons for the psychiatric findings or the behaviors 1b) —_farmal psychological testing, specifically related to malingering and dissimulation. <<) direct interviews of collateral sources ‘Alberta Hospital Edionton - Forenie Payehiatry ‘Bax 307, 17480 Fort Read, Edmonton, Alterta, TS) 27 wow albertahwalvservices.co Page 7 of 8ade Alberta Health Services Uhope this report will be of use ta you, Sincerely yours, porensic Psychiatry Alberta Haspital Edmanton, Assistant Professor Department of Peychiatry University of Alberta ACde eo Atverta Hospital Edmonton *Forenale Paychiatry Box 307, 17480 Fort Road, Edmonton, Alberta, TJ 27 rus albertaneatinservices.ca Page 8 of 8