A Chinatown man, Wei Hou is accused of murdering his mother, Zhu Hou, on December 18 at her Knickerbocker Village apartment, according to ABC7NY. The victim, age 76, was discovered dead, prompting the arrest of her son in Albany. According to ABC7NY, arresting officials took Hou to the Castle Inn motel in Schodack, New York, where he barricaded himself and threatened self-harm before being taken into custody.
Despite a criminal record and schizophrenia diagnosis, Hou was enrolled in a 90-day drug treatment program at Lakeview Shock Incarceration Correctional Facility, a decision that has aroused substantial criticism for its likely role in the early release of the accused, Wei. According to the New York Post, Hou is charged with second-degree murder and was being monitored by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision for a felony narcotics conviction at the time of the horrible conduct.
According to reports, Zhu Hou contacted police about her son’s erratic conduct and refusal to follow his medication routine before and after enrolling in Lakeview’s treatment program. On one occasion, she reported her son “breaking the door and talking to himself,” expressing concerns to the operator about his health and substance misuse. Wei Hou was supposed to be released from jail in 2027, but he was released on October 14 after completing his drug treatment program, according to the New York Post.
Authorities had been alerted to the defendant’s history of mental illness, including schizophrenia, and had documented incidents of outbursts dating as far back as July 2011, when he experienced violence during his stay at Bellevue Hospital’s psychiatric unit; this information has emerged in light of the recent event and has derived scrutiny towards the correctional system’s handling of such cases; when a source familiar with the facility told the New York Post, “He sh
Wei Hou was captured when the US Marshals Service issued a statement, revealing his history of arrests in other states. The incident raises concerns about the effectiveness of current programs and the selection process for participants, particularly under Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 2022 fewer-is-More Act, which aims to establish fewer restrictive conditions for offenders. The inquiry into Zhu Hou’s murder is ongoing.
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