Tulsa Father Doesn't Want Son Accused Of Killing Wife, Mother, To Stand Trial

A man accused of killing his mother is set to go to trial in April.

Matthew Stick was 20 years old when Tulsa police said he murdered his mother in their front yard. Before the crime, Matthew had never been in trouble or arrested and detectives said they had no explanation for why he would do it.

While the district attorney is set to go to trial, it's a move Matthew's father, Mike Stick, and the rest of the family disagree with.

3/15/2013 Related Story: Tulsa 20-Year-Old Bound Over For Trial In Mother's Stabbing Death

Matthew's father, brother and sister all agree that the last thing Mathew needs is prison. They believe he needs to be in a mental institution, getting treatment.

They said he and his mother, Veronica, were extremely close and whatever happened that day doesn't make him a criminal, it makes him a patient.

"She was a hugger. She hugged everybody. She'd hug both of you if you walked in. She was outgoing and so selfless," Mike said of his late wife.

He said she and Matt were both working at All Souls Unitarian Church in the fall of 2012 when they ran home to meet an exterminator.

Mike said when the exterminator arrived he found Veronica stabbed to death in the front yard. Police arrested Matt a few hours later.

Matt's father said he wasn't himself.

“When I visited him, he was like an 8-year-old child when I talked to him. He was completely gone," Mike said.

He said Matt tried to get help before and has since been diagnosed with bi-polar induced psychosis and medication is helping him.

Matt's attorney plans to use an insanity defense at trial, but the family doesn't want him to stand trial; they want him to go to a mental institution and believe Veronica would've wanted the same.

"He has dreams about her hugging him and I know she would, absolutely," Mike said.

They want people to know Matt's family loves and support him and don't blame him. They visit him weekly and want others to better understand mental illness.

"We lost Veronica, but we still have hope he'll come home someday. I can't wait to put my arms around him and hug him," Mike said.

The district attorney said they have to review every case on the issues and, while this is tragic, they have to look at the case objectively.

He said they plan to follow the law and let a judge or jury decide what's appropriate for Matthew.

His trial is set for April 13th.