Splitting maul attack: Public defender accused of trying to kill family reveals motive, has court date set

Theodore Loos, the Shasta County public defender accused of attempting to murder his wife and two children with a splitting maul, told police investigators that financial worries and his mental health issues caused him to "snap" and try to kill his family.

Details of Wednesday's attack emerged in a police report that accompanies a criminal complaint filed by the Shasta County District Attorney's Office on Friday.

Loos is charged with three counts of premeditated attempted murder, aggravated mayhem, corporal injury to a spouse, two counts of child abuse and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Special allegations include causing brain and bodily injuries, domestic violence, use of a deadly weapon.

Loos was arraigned on the charges Friday afternoon and his bail was set in lieu of $1.5 million. His next date in court is set for July 26.

Attorney Michael Borges, who represented Loos for his court appearance, argued successfully that media requests for court photos and video should be denied because of Loos' mental state. 

"He appears to be suffering from a psychological (condition) that is severe," Borges said of Loos.

Details of attack emerge in report

The Redding Police Department's investigative report released Friday is based on officers' response to Loos' home in the 1700 block of Galway Drive in the Mary Lake subdivision and subsequent interviews with investigators.

The first person to report the attack was a neighbor who said Loos had assaulted his two children and wife with a wood-splitting maul, according to the report. 

Arriving officers saw Loos leaving the home's front door and put him in handcuffs in a patrol car. Soon after, police said Loos started banging his head inside the car to try and hurt himself. Officers said they sprayed Loos with pepper spray to get him to stop and protect him from destroying the inside of the car.

Two officers went into the residence to contact the victims. They first saw the splitting maul in a hallway with a 2-and-a-half-foot plastic yellow handle with an ax blade on one end and a blunt, sledge-hammer head on the other end. The maul had small amounts of blood on it, according to the report.

One officer found Loos' wife, 55, in the master bedroom applying pressure to significant head wounds. Police suspect that she was attacked in her sleep, but she did not know why. She was taken to Mercy Medical Center and underwent surgery. Afterward she was in critical condition.

Doctors told police Loos' wife would have died without medical intervention. She was put in a medically induced coma and medical personnel expect her to survive, according to the report.

Loos' son, 14, told authorities that he woke up to find Loos standing in his bedroom doorway holding the splitting maul. Loos struck his son at least four times, but the son was not severely injured.

Loos' daughter, 10, woke as Loos was attacking his son. She was struck in the forehead with the maul but eventually escaped the home and ran to a neighbor's house for help. 

Loos' son said that before officers arrived, the entire family was in the same bedroom after the attack. At that time, Loos told his wife that he had tried to kill her and then told his son to call 911. During the call, Loos went to the kitchen and tried to stab himself in the abdomen with a knife before his son disarmed him. 

In an interview with police, Loos acknowledged that he had attempted to kill his wife and children, according to the report. 

Evidence hints at potential explanation

After the attack, Loos told police that a combination of mental health issues and financial problems caused him to "snap." 

Loos said he sees a psychologist for "adult ADHD," referring to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. He added that he had open heart surgery about 4 months ago and developed significant depression after the surgery. He said he had sought treatment concerning the ADHD and depression.

Loos told police that he recently learned his wife had about $10,000 in credit card debt. He met with a representative from the California Public Employees' Retirement System and walked away thinking he would not have enough money in retirement to support his family or pay debts. 

Loos said he remembered waking up Wednesday morning, walking to the garage and grabbing the maul. He said he did not have control over his actions, as the impulsive part of his brain took over. He knew he had tried to kill his family and said he had "failed miserably."

Loos indicated he would still kill himself if given the opportunity. When asked by police why he didn't kill himself and leave his family out of it, Loos said he didn't want his family to be poor, according to the report. He said he was sorry for what he had done. 

Police said earlier this week they were not giving the names of the children and their mother because they're victims of domestic violence and child abuse.

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