UPDATE 4:30 p.m.:
Fox 4 has obtained new court documents detailing what led up to the fatal stabbing. We're also learning more about the suspect's history with mental health diagnoses, including schizophrenia.
*WARNING: Some of the details in this story might be disturbing to read.
WHAT HAPPENED INSIDE A LEHIGH ACRES HOME:
Court documents say around 4 p.m., Lukas Carlton's stepfather got home and saw Carlton in the living room where he sleeps.
Stephanie Lynch Barnett, Carlton's mother, got home about three hours later.
His step-father told deputies he and his wife were in the garage watching television until about 9 p.m. Documents say his step-father went to bed, but Barnett stayed in the garage.
On his way to bed, Carlton was in the living room. Documents say his step-father woke up 10 minutes later to turn the TV off, but didn't see Carlton.
Another 10 minutes goes by and his step-father told deputies Carlton came into the room and said Barnett needed rubbing alcohol.
The step-father said it was abnormal behavior and Carlton did not appear to be calm like he usually is.
Because of this, the step-father said he went to the garage and found Barnett unresponsive. The report says she had cuts to her head, face and bruising around her neck.
One of Carlton's half-sisters called 911 as other family members gave Barnett CPR, but she died at the scene.
In the report, it says Carlton was caught on a Ring camera leaving the scene two minutes before 911 was called.
The video, the report says, shows Carlton appeared to be distraught and in a rush to leave, indicating something was wrong.
The report also says he appeared to be carrying something in his hand before putting it in his waistband.
Deputies put a "trap and trace search warrant" on his phone, which they believed was with him.
Carlton was found in Pasco County after a traffic stop.
In Barnett's autopsy, the report says several metal pieces were recovered from her skull, resembling knife pieces.
CARLTON'S MENTAL HEALTH HISTORY:
Through the investigation, family members were interviewed to learn more about Carlton.
According to his step-father, he has raised Carlton since he was 5-years-old.
The report says Carlton has struggled with mental health issues and was diagnosed with schizophrenia about six or seven years ago.
Carlton's step-father says after Carlton's release from prison in February 2024, he came to live with them.
Prior to the prison sentence, his step-father said Carlton was in a mental health institution in northern Florida for several months.
Carlton has two half-sisters, and they told deputies he was known to hear voices and threatened that he would “slit his mother’s throat and kill the family.”
The report also says his siblings heard Carlton say he wanted to kill his mother and grandmother because he blamed them for his schizophrenia.
When deputies spoke to Carlton's grandmother, the report says she also confirmed Carlton heard voices in his head. She told detectives it stems from an incident that caused him to have traumatic brain injury, but the report not specify the incident.
She told deputies he used marijuana to cope, but never got treatment,
Carlton's grandmother says she has noticed a shift in his behavior. She said he had a chicken coup, but tore it down.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Lukas Carlton, the man who deputies say stabbed a woman in a Lehigh Acres house, appeared in a Lee County courtroom on Tuesday.
The victim's husband says Lukas Carlton killed his own mother at a house on 56th Street West in Lehigh Acres on April 7.
Carlton's facing a second-degree murder charge, and was issued a public defender.
He was caught in Pasco County and spent a week there before being brought back to the area.
The suspect was previously found incompetent to stand trial in an Alachua County case, but did not give details about the case.
Bond will not be set until Wednesday, pending violation of probation.
