Texas man allegedly fatally attacked man with baseball bat because voices in his head said so

LUFKIN, Texas (TCD) -- A 27-year-old man was arrested last week for reportedly using a metal bat to assault a man who later died from his injuries.

According to the Lufkin Daily News, on Dec. 6, 50-year-old James Mikel Daugherty was found lying on his living room floor, appearing to have suffered from severe head trauma. Daugherty was transported to a hospital and passed away due to his injuries on Tuesday, Dec. 14.

At the scene, authorities reportedly found a metal bat leaning against a wall with a red stain on top. According to the Lufkin Daily News, witnesses told police that Michael Anthony Oder Jr. asked Daugherty to borrow a cigarette and then attacked him with a baseball bat, adding that Oder believed he was hearing voices that told him to hurt Daugherty.

Oder was interviewed, and according to the Lufkin Daily News, he confirmed that he went to borrow a cigarette, but Daugherty lunged toward him. Oder reportedly hit Daugherty once or twice with the metal baseball bat but saw Daugherty bleeding from the head, so he left the residence and returned to his mother’s house.

According to records, Oder was arrested and booked into the Angelina County Detention Center. He faces multiple charges including murder, possession of drug paraphernalia, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault causing bodily injury, and assault of a public servant.

According to a separate arrest affidavit obtained by KTRE-TV, Oder attacked another person on Dec. 6. Oder reportedly tried to hit a CMC Recycling Employee in Angelina County, but his mother intervened and pushed Oder away.

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