The trial of Jason DeLong Murderer, who is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing deaths of his mother and her boyfriend, has captivated the nation. 

DeLong, 19, took the stand to tell of years of s*xual and physical abuse he endured at the hands of his mother, Cathryn Brace Farrar.

But the prosecution attempted to paint him as a chronic liar who invented tales of abuse to get attention.

The case raises questions about the impact of abuse on young people and whether mental illness can be a mitigating factor in violent crimes. 

As the trial continues, here is a closer look at the case of Jason DeLong and what we know so far.

Background

Jason DeLong was born on March 13, 1974, in Baltimore, Maryland, to Cathryn Brace Farrar and Donald DeLong. 

He was the youngest of four children, of whom two were his half-sisters from his father’s previous marriage.

Jason’s mother was described as controlling, possessive, and jealous, especially of Jason’s girlfriends. 

She was also allegedly physically and sexually abusive to Jason for most of his life.

At the age of 13, Jason was removed from his mother’s care after he reported the sexual abuse to a teacher. 

He spent two years in foster care before moving in with his father in Jupiter, Florida, in 1990.

But after a series of conflicts with his father and stepmother, Jason returned to Maryland in 1992 to live with his mother and her boyfriend, George William Wahl. 

The abuse allegedly continued, and Jason turned to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain.

The murders

On July 29, 1993, Cathryn Brace Farrar and George William Wahl were found dead in their home in Westminster, Maryland. 

They had both been stabbed multiple times with a kitchen knife. Jason DeLong and his girlfriend, Sara Citroni, were arrested five days later in Jupiter, Florida, after they were found driving Farrar’s car.

Citroni, 18, pleaded guilty to murder in July and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years.

DeLong, who has pleaded not guilty and not criminally responsible by reason of mental illness, faces life without parole if convicted.

The trial

During his testimony, Jason DeLong told the court of years of s*xual and physical abuse he endured at the hands of his mother. 

He talked of his fear of her and of his deep anger, which he said might eventually cause him to kill someone.

He also described his confusion about his feelings for his mother and how he kept returning to her because he “missed her.”

In cross-examination, prosecutor Timothy J. Doory attempted to paint DeLong as a chronic liar who invented tales of abuse to get attention. 

He questioned DeLong about inconsistencies in his testimony and tried to discredit him by pointing to incidents in which he recanted allegations of his mother’s sexual abuse.

The defense argued that DeLong had a history of mental illness, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, caused by years of abuse by his mother. 

They claimed that he was not in control of his actions at the time of the murders and should be found not criminally responsible.

The outcome of the trial remains to be seen, but the case of Jason DeLong raises important questions about the impact of abuse on young people and the role of mental illness in violent crimes. 

Whatever the verdict, it is clear that this is a tragic case of a confused young man who was failed by the adults in his life.

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