Medford, Ore. – A man accused of murder was found guilty except for insanity in a Jackson County courtroom Friday.
According to the Jackson County District Attorney’s office, on July 18, 2015 Matthew Shawn Hannon was “spending time” at a residence in the 14000 block of East Evans Creek Road with Frank Wheeler, Susan Scott, David Berg and Ryan Hannon.
Susan Scott, who is Matthew Hannon’s mother, overdosed on a controlled substance around 2:30 in the morning.
Wheeler tried to perform CPR on her, but he was stabbed in the back and arm with a pocketknife by Matthew Hannon.
The D.A.’s office said Hannon, who was affected by schizophrenia at the time, may have had delusions Wheeler was hurting his mother.
An injured Wheeler ran out of the residence–along with Matthew Hannon and Ryan Hannon–into nearby woods before police and medical crews arrived.
David Berg was busy calling 911 to assist Scott’s overdose situation and was unaware the stabbing occurred when first responders made it to the scene. The Hannon brothers and Wheeler were nowhere to be seen.
Berg went to the hospital with Scott, who was identified as his sister.
An hour later, Wheeler showed up at a nearby residence and spoke to a friend, who offered to call 911 or take him to receive medical attention.
According to prosecutors, Wheeler refused any help from his friend.
Berg returned to the East Evans Creek Road residence around 6:30 a.m. and went to sleep.
When Berg woke up around noon, he saw Wheeler sitting on the ground next to his vehicle.
Wheeler told him about the stabbing, and again refused any offers for assistance, according to the D.A.’s office.
A half-hour later Wheeler was found unresponsive, prompting Berg to call 911.
When officers arrived, Wheeler was dead.
A medical examiner determined Wheeler would have likely survived had he sought medical attention.
Berg took officers to where Matthew Hannon was living as a transient on Queens Branch Road. Hannon was taken into custody at the campsite.
Prosecutors said Matthew Hannon later made statements claiming Wheeler was beating his mother. He also talked about hearing a gunshot.
Witness statements and evidence indicated the described events never occurred, and they were likely due to Matthew Hannon’s schizophrenic delusions.
Evidence presented during his trial indicated Matthew Hannon’s diagnosis of schizophrenia contributed to the incident.
According to the D.A.’s office, it was determined he “lacked substantial capacity either to appreciate the criminality of his conduct and/or to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law.”
Matthew Hannon was ordered by Judge Hoppe to spend the next 25 years to life in state custody and treatment.
He was placed under Psychiatric Security Review Board jurisdiction and committed to the custody of a state mental hospital at the time due to a substantial danger to others.
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