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Murder of Elli Perkins

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Murder of Elli Perkins
OccupationSelf-employed
SpouseDon Perkins
Children2

Elli Perkins was a businesswoman who owned a glass-painting business making "suncatchers" in Western New York, and a Scientologist. She was a senior auditor at the Church of Scientology in Buffalo, New York.

The story of Elli's murder and death, confessed to in publicly released statements by her son Jeremy Perkins, was featured on the CBS investigative news program 48 Hours on October 28, 2006.

Early life

Elli Present[1] was raised Jewish, and married Don Perkins, who was brought up with a Christian background[2]. Elli had met Don shortly after taking a Scientology course[2]. Before coming to Buffalo, Perkins had lived in Rochester, New York, where she attended the Rochester Institute of Technology[3]. Elli Perkins crafted handmade glass art, and traveled to an annual Renaissance Fair in upstate New York to sell her wares[2]. She had been a member of the "Sterling Renaissance Faire" for twenty-three years, and had helped to run the Niagara Craft Association[1]. She had previously been unsuccessful selling paintings, and was inspired to start glass painting by a friend[4]. When her friend left town, the market was left open for Elli to set up shop and being selling her painted glass works[4].

In 1979, both Don and Elli Perkins reached the Scientology state of "Clear"[2]. The Perkins famliy then moved to California and lived there during the 1980's, where Elli worked at the Celebrity Centre[2]. In the late 1980's, the family moved back to Buffalo, New York[2]. Elli's son Jeremy Perkins lived at home, and worked for Don Perkins' contracting company[2]. In addition to contracting work, Don Perkins is also a cabinetmaker and carpenter[3].

Notices problems with son

At age 24, Jeremy Perkins told his father that he heard voices in his head[2]. At that time, the Perkins sent Jeremy to join Scientology's Sea Org in California[2]. Elli Perkins' friend stated "Elli strongly believed that psychiatry was an evil", and did not consult a psychiatrist about her son's behaviour[2]. According to Scientology beliefs regarding psychiatry, Scientologists believe that as an ideology psychiatry "doesn't work"[2]. Court-ordered psychiatric evaluations of Jeremy Perkins showed that he was displaying symptoms of schizophrenia in 2001[2]. Jeremy's defense attorney John Nuchereno stated that his condition declined further over the summer of 2002, and that his father had to terminate his employment[2]. The Church of Scientology labeled Jeremy Perkins as a "Potential Trouble Source", and he was banned from taking further Scientology courses[2].

Looks for alternatives to psychiatry

After being found on August 14, 2001, trespassing outside of the University of Buffalo, Jeremy was arrested and later remanded to a local hospital after a court-ordered psychiatric exam confirmed that he was schizophrenic[2][5]. However, Elli Perkins later convinced the court to release her son into her own custody, and she began to seek out alternative methods of treatment to psychiatry[2], and refused to allow her son to be treated with anti-psychotic medications[5]. In the fall of 2002, the Perkins family consulted with Dr. Conrad Maulfair, an osteopathic physician who was also a Scientologist[2][5]. According to Jeremy's defense attorney, Dr. Conrad Maulfair concluded that "he was suffering from certain digestive problems, that he had certain chemical toxins in his body. And he needed to be purged of it. And he needed to be energized through vitamin therapy"[2].

Elli Perkins began feeding Jeremy the recommended vitamins, but the only result was to make Jeremy suspicious. In a recorded interview, after being asked what concerns he had about taking these vitamins, Jeremy stated: "Well, concerns just that maybe she's trying to poison me or something."[2] In February 2003, Elli Perkins took Jeremy to see Albert Brown, a self-taught "natural healer". Jeremy told Brown in a session: "Sometimes I think I'm Jesus Christ."[2]. Elli Perkins' plan was to send Jeremy to live with Brown for treatment, but days beforehand Jeremy began to act more aggressive. After consulting with her son-in-law Jeff Carlson, the executive director of the Buffalo Church of Scientology, Elli was told to give Jeremy busy-work around the house in order to get him tired[2].

Death

Jeremy Perkins was told by his parents to pack for his stay with Albert Brown, on March 13, 2003[5]. Don Perkins had to return from work briefly that day in order to settle an argument between Jeremy and his mother. After telling Jeremy to take a shower, Elli Perkins was attacked. According to a statement read by Dr. Brian Joseph to the police, Jeremy Perkins stated: "I tried to slit my wrists after the shower. But I wouldn't die, so I decided to do my mom instead," Dr. Joseph read. "She was screaming, 'No, Jeremy, don't.' I stabbed her about four to five times before she fell down. … I then stabbed her about ten more times in the stomach after she fell to the ground. I knew she was a goner. … I believe that I have lived different lives for the past thousand years, and wished I was in another life now."[2]

Autopsy reports later showed that Elli Perkins was stabbed 77 times[6]. In June 2003, Jeremy Perkins pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal weapons and second degree murder, in a court in Erie County[6]. The District Attorney in the case stated that death by stabbing is not unusual in homicides, but 77 stab wounds is "really rare."[6] The court ordered another psychiatric examination for Jeremy[1].

Aftermath

According to Rich Dunning, a former deputy director of the Buffalo Church of Scientology, there "was a panic" among the Church of Scientology's international leadership after the murder of Elli Perkins[2]. Dunning stated that the goal was "to distance the church as far as away they could from Jeremy Perkins."[2] He also stated that the murder was a public relations fiasco because it exposed the dangers of of Scientology's ban against consulting psychiatrists, and the belief that members who attain high Operating Thetan levels achieve special powers[2]. Jeremy Perkins was later placed on psychotropic medications, which court psychiatrists state have not cured him, but stabilized his condition. Jeremy Perkins' defense attorney stated: "Jeremy himself told me that he firmly believes that had he been taking these medications that it would not have happened[2]." After attorney Nuchereno spoke with 48 Hours, Jeremy was visited by a senior Church of Scientology staff member, and Nuchereno was replaced by an attorney whose law firm had worked previously for Scientology[2].

In March 2006, an advertisement was taken out in Los Angeles Weekly which blamed Tom Cruise and the Church of Scientology for the murder of Elli Perkins[7]. The ad stated: "Thanks, Tom Cruise and the Church of Scientology, for your expert advice on mental health."[7][8] The ad went on to recount the story of Elli's death, stating she was murdered "by the schizophrenic son she was told to treat with vitamins instead of psychiatric care."[8] The advertisement also cited the Web site: "PerkinsTragedy.org", as did Salon[8].

References

  1. ^ a b c Staff (March 2003). "Son Held in Stabbing Death of Hopkins Road Woman". The Amherst Bee (in English). {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Staff (October 28, 2006). "Scientology - A Question of Faith: Did A Mother's Faith Contribute To Her Murder?". 48 Hours (in English). CBS News. pp. 1–9. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  3. ^ a b Pignataro, T. J. (March 14, 2003). "Son arrested in woman's fatal stabbing". The Buffalo News (in English). {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  4. ^ a b Gramigna, Glenn (1995). "Ex-hippie turns successful businesswoman". Metro Community News, Buffalo, New York (in English). {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  5. ^ a b c d Stasi, Linda (October 27, 2006). "Scientology Schizo: His Mom's Religion Said, No Meds. That Edict May Have Cost Her Life". New York Post (in English). {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  6. ^ a b c "Amherst Man Accused of Stabbing Mother to Death, Pleads Not Guilty". WIVB TV (in English). June 4, 2003. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  7. ^ a b Walls, Jeannette (March 29, 2006). "Scientology foes blast Cruise in ad". MSNBC (in English). NBC. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  8. ^ a b c "The Fix: In other Scientology news". Salon (in English). March 21, 2003. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)

See also

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