Robert Troutt's future as a poster boy for the evils of meth addiction now seems assured.
As we reported last month, Phoenix police accuse Troutt (pictured) of beating his 85-year-old mother, Eva Fitzgerald, while he was in a drug-induced haze.
Troutt, 55, admitted to police that he recalled standing over his mother as she lay on the floor, screaming.
At first, he envisioned himself as the hero of this horror movie: He told police he thought somebody was attacking his mother, and he believed that the victim was impersonating her.One of Fitzgerald's ears was nearly torn off, and doctors later determined she had internal bleeding in her brain. Troutt broke the knuckles in his right hand.
On Monday, someone claiming to be Fitzgerald's granddaughter responded to our January article to say that Fitzgerald had died.
Phoenix police today confirmed Fitzgerald's death, and cops are now asking the County Attorney's Office to charge Troutt with second-degree murder.
UPDATE 2/17/10: Troutt is indicted by a grand jury on one charge of second-degree murder, five counts of aggravated assault, two drug-related charges and a count of resisting arrest. Click here for the news release from the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.
