A TEENAGER who shot and killed his mother and wounded his clergyman father was so obsessed over a video game that he may have believed that, like the characters in the game, death wasn't real, a judge said yesterday in finding the boy guilty.
Defence attorneys did not contest that Daniel Petric, now 17, shot his parents in October 2007 after they took the game Halo 3 away from him, but insisted the boy's youth and addiction to the game made him less responsible.
They urged the judge to find Petric not guilty by reason of insanity.
Petric may have been addicted, but the evidence also showed he planned the crime, said Judge James Burge, who found Petric guilty of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder and other charges.
In the video game Halo 3, players shoot alien monsters that have taken over Earth.
“I firmly believe that Daniel Petric had no idea at the time he hatched this plot that if he killed his parents they would be dead forever,” Judge Burge said.
“I think that is the state of mind that this young man was in at the time of these events - that death would not be permanent.”
The teen's mother, Susan Petric, 43, died of a gunshot wound to the head.
Her husband, Mark Petric, a minister at New Life Assembly of God in Wellington, Ohio, also was shot in the head but survived.
Daniel Petric, who was tried as an adult, faces a maximum possible penalty of life in prison without parole.
The judge did not set a sentencing date.
He showed little emotion when the judge announced the verdict.
When the hearing was over, he turned to look at his father seated behind him in the court gallery.
Mark Petric, who previously said he has forgiven his son, gave an encouraging nod.
Mr Petric and other relatives left the court without comment.
During the trial, deputy prosecuting attorney Anthony Cillo described Petric as a cold, calculating killer who plotted to murder his parents and make it appear to be a murder-suicide by putting the gun in his father's hand.
Cillo referred to a report produced by the defence in which juvenile psychologist Steven Neuhaus said that Petric said he had planned the murders for a week.
Yesterday, prosecutors declined to comment on the verdict, as did defence attorneys.
Defence attorney James Kersey said during the trial that Petric played Halo 3 18 hours a day when he had the chance.
On the night of the shooting, Petric used his father's key to open a lockbox and remove a 9 mm handgun and the game.
Mr Petric testified that his son came into the room and asked: “Would you guys close your eyes? I have a surprise for you.”
The father testified that he expected a pleasant surprise.
Then his head went numb from a gunshot.
Mr Kersey said during the trial that when the teenager fled the grisly scene, he only took one item with him: the Halo 3 game.
Bungie LLC, once part of Microsoft, developed the Xbox 360-exclusive Halo 3, and Microsoft owns the game's intellectual property. Microsoft declined to comment beyond a statement: "We are aware of the situation and it is a tragic case.”
