A self-described "life coach" from Delray Beach, Florida, has been arrested after allegedly stabbing his mother to death, hours after posting a stream of rambling messages about love, forgiveness and "spiritual warfare" on Facebook. Alexander George Harrington, 50, was detained outside the gated-community home he shared with his mother, Susan Baratto Harrington, 77, whose body was found covered in blood with multiple stab wounds. The case has drawn attention because of the disturbing contrast between his public messages of peace and the violence police say followed, and because it raises questions about his mental health treatment and monitoring.

According to a charging affidavit, Harrington told officers and paramedics "I killed my mom" and said he used a black-handled knife found near the body. In the hours before, he had posted repeated affirmations declaring himself "love and light" and later gave a six-minute livestream to nearly 5,000 followers describing having gone through "spiritual warfare" to "kill all my demons." He told police he had been sober since 2007 and was on medication for schizoaffective disorder with bipolar features; his sister said he had long-standing mental health problems and had recently moved in with his mother after losing his own home.