In a gruesome and shocking incident, Jessica Camilleri brutally attacked her mother, Rita, in their St. Clair home, inflicting nearly 200 stab wounds and decapitating her. The horrifying crime unfolded in July 2019, with Jessica later telling police she wanted to give her mother “a taste of her own medicine.”
After the vicious attack, Jessica called emergency services (000) claiming self-defense, stating her mother had tried to stab her first. Bodycam footage captured the disturbing aftermath as Jessica nonchalantly asked if doctors could reattach her mother’s head, revealing a chilling lack of remorse.
The police discovered Rita’s decapitated head in the front yard of a neighbor’s house, while her lifeless body was found in the kitchen. Several knives were used in the brutal assault, with some breaking due to the force applied by Jessica.
During the arrest, Jessica revealed a history of making threatening prank calls and expressed an affinity for horror movies, citing The Texas Chainsaw Massacre as her favorite. She had a previous incident where she attacked her aunt and her aunt’s mother-in-law.
The motive for the deadly attack stemmed from a heated argument between mother and daughter, exacerbated by Rita’s intention to send Jessica to a mental hospital. In a chilling statement, Jessica admitted to wanting to give her mother a taste of her own medicine but claimed she didn’t intend to kill her.
In court, Jessica was found guilty of manslaughter and received a sentence of 21 years and seven months in prison. The sentence reflected the severity of the crime, as Jessica’s actions left a community in shock, grappling with the brutality of a daughter turning against her own mother.
The case highlights the complexities surrounding mental health, familial relationships, and the devastating consequences of unchecked aggression. The details of the incident, captured on bodycam footage, provide a disturbing glimpse into a tragic and disturbing episode that resulted in the loss of a life and a lengthy prison sentence for the assailant.
