Son Fatally Stabbed Mother With Sword In Park Ridge: Police
PARK RIDGE, IL — A Park Ridge man killed his mother with a sword Sunday the night before stuffing her into a large garbage can, according to police, who believe he was planning to place the can on the curbside to be picked up on Monday.
David Krystyniak, 47, was ordered ordered held without bail Wednesday on a first-degree murder charge in the fatal stabbing of his mother, Judith Krystyniak, 74, who was found dead Monday in the Park Ridge home they shared for decades.
On Tuesday, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled her death a homicide caused by multiple cuts and stab wounds.
According to Chief Frank Kaminski, an officer who happened to be riding along with a police social worker on Monday noticed debris piled in the front of the Krystyniak home in the 1900 block of Cortland Street. Both were familiar with the family, and they thought it was “very unusual” to see such debris and knocked on the front door with no answer.
When the officer and the staffer returned to the house around noon, David Krystyniak emerged from the house and had a friendly interaction. Kaminski said there were already indications of “erratic thoughts” on David’s part. The officer asked about his mother and whether he could see her, and Krystyniak welcomed them into the house.
“Once inside the house the police officer noticed a sword and a hammer in the area,” Kaminsky said. “They also noticed that the house was in a disarrayed state.”
As they looked through the home for his mother, Kaminsky said, they found a large garbage can that would normally be wheeled out to the front of the house sitting in the middle of the living room.
“The police officer noticed what he believed to be a hand sticking out of the large container, they also noticed blood in the area,” the chief said.
After being arrested and advised of his rights, Krystyniak told police he had stabbed his mother with the large sword that was found in the house, according to police.
Earlier in July, David Krystyniak had called 911 to report his mother had overdosed. Police and medical personnel learned that she was fine, the chief said.
“She indicated to us at the time that David had been going through some new medications and trying to figure out the correct balance of that,” Kaminsky said.
The police chief said there were no indications of Krystyniak’s motive or any history of domestic violence between the mother and son. He said he was prohibited by health privacy law from disclosing any details about Krystyniak’s mental health.
Krystyniak first appeared in court Wednesday afternoon before Circuit Judge Paul Pavlus in Skokie, who ordered him held without bail. He is due back on Aug. 14, according to police.