Son charged with murder of his 76-year-old father says he 'lost his mind,' Massachusetts prosecutors say

PLYMOUTH – A man charged with stinging The man who killed his father in Plymouth, Massachusetts, told police he was “crazy,” prosecutors said Friday.

Matthew Paluzzi, 26, was remanded in custody without bail after pleading not guilty to a murder charge in Plymouth District Court.

Murder in Plymouth

According to police, Paluzzi stabbed his father in the neck early Thursday morning at his home on Cedar Road in the Manomet neighborhood, stole his mother's car and drove away.

The body of 73-year-old Anthony Paluzzi was later found on the couch by his mother. She called 911 and police tracked her son down more than three hours later in Hanover, about 20 miles north of Plymouth. According to the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office, Paluzzi had bloodstains on his clothes and blood was on his hands. Paluzzi was handcuffed and later charged with murdering his father.

Matthew Paluzzi's mental health

Prosecutors said Paluzzi was living with his parents after he allegedly pointed a gun at an ATM employee in 2020 and asked her if she wanted to die. He has since been on probation and has completed several mental health treatment programs, it was revealed in court Friday.

Paluzzi's lawyers demanded money for a forensic psychologist.

“The fact that someone has mental health issues does not mean they are not sane, it does not mean they are not criminally responsible,” Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz told reporters outside court on Friday.

He said they are still waiting for the autopsy report.

“Often there is more information to be gained from the autopsy results. We'll see where that takes us,” Cruz said.

Neighbors told police they had heard Paluzzi threaten to harm and kill his parents before, but they never imagined such a thing could happen in their quiet neighborhood.

“People should understand that things can happen anywhere,” Cruz said.

Paluzzi is due to appear in court again on October 2.