An Ohio woman, Sydney Powell, was found guilty last week of two counts of murder, felonious assault, and tampering with evidence for the brutal killing of her mother, Brenda Powell.
The incident occurred after Sydney's parents discovered that she had been expelled from Mount Union University due to poor grades.
According to the Summit County Prosecutor's Office, Sydney bludgeoned her mother with a frying pan and then proceeded to stab her multiple times in their Akron home. The jury's verdict was met with tears from Sydney, who had been out on bail since her arraignment. She was immediately taken into custody.
Sydney's attorney, Donald Malarcik, expressed disappointment with the jury's decision and stated that they believed the evidence overwhelmingly proved insanity. Malarcik announced their intention to file an appeal, as reported by Fox News Digital.
The deadly confrontation took place on March 3, 2020, when Sydney's father, Steven Powell, was unable to access the portal to pay her tuition. This revelation led to a confrontation between Sydney and her mother later that afternoon. Sydney, who was 19 years old at the time, confessed to her father that she had been expelled from the university and had kept it a secret for months.
CourtTV reported that Sydney had failed three out of her four classes in December 2019 but continued to live on campus and attend sorority meetings until she was evicted from her dorm on February 24, 2020. Instead of revealing the truth to her parents, Sydney chose to stay in hotels for a week.
After Steven informed Brenda about their daughter's deceit, Brenda returned home from her job as a child life specialist at Akron Children's Hospital to discuss the matter with Sydney. During the conversation, school officials testified that they heard thuds, screaming, and then the call disconnected.
When one of the officials attempted to call back, Sydney answered the phone, pretending to be her mother. However, the official was not convinced and contacted the police. Prosecutors revealed that Sydney repeatedly struck her mother in the head with a cast-iron skillet before retrieving a steak knife and stabbing her nearly 30 times.
Assistant prosecutor Brian Stano emphasized the deliberate nature of the attack, stating, "She had to switch weapons and keep attacking her. That is purposeful. That is trying to end someone."
Following the assault, Sydney allegedly staged a break-in by shattering a window, according to prosecutors. When the police arrived, Sydney claimed that an intruder had entered the house and that her mother had instructed her to flee. Upon her return, she claimed to have found her mother on the floor.
While Sydney's attorneys admitted that she killed her mother, they argued that she suffered from schizophrenia and was unable to comprehend the wrongfulness of her actions at the time. Both her father and grandmother testified in her defense, but the jury ultimately rejected the insanity plea.
Psychologist Sylvia O'Bradovich, hired by the prosecution, acknowledged Sydney's mental illness but maintained that she understood the difference between right and wrong when she brutally attacked her mother.
Sydney is scheduled to be sentenced on September 28. If convicted on the murder charge, she could face a maximum sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years.
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