The Sleepwalking Killer? The Bizarre Case of Joseph Anthony Mitchell

Jul 8, 2025

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TW: Child Murder

In the early morning hours of September 22, 2010, Christine Perolini’s world was shattered when her 13-year-old daughter ran into her bedroom screaming, “Daddy’s trying to hurt us!” Minutes later, Christine’s 4-year-old son, Blake Mitchell, was unresponsive, and her husband, Joseph Anthony Mitchell, was barricaded in another room—covered in blood with self-inflicted stab wounds.

Joseph admitted to killing Blake and trying to murder his two other children… but claimed he had no memory of any of it. His defense? He was sleepwalking.

In this episode, we dive into the heartbreaking timeline, the chilling 911 call, the controversial trial, and the shocking verdict that left even the jury questioning what really happened that night. Was this the rare case of a “sleepwalking killer,” or something far more sinister?

HUGE thanks to Madison who wrote and researched this episode!

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