'Religious delusions': Husband not guilty but insane in wife's death

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- A Vancouver man accused of stabbing his estranged wife to death in 2021 as part of a religious "prophecy" has been found not guilty by reason of insanity, according to court documents.

In a decision filed June 6, Clark County Superior Court Judge Suzan Clark found Michael Murrah suffered a mental disease or defect at the time of the stabbing death of Monica Murrah -- also known as Star Murrah-- which constituted first-degree murder and domestic violence while armed with a deadly weapon, court documents said.

That decision was reached after three medical experts, who were cited in court documents, found he suffered a mental disease after evaluating him, although the experts did not agree on the underlying cause of Michael Murrah's psychosis.

The court furthered that Murrah is a "substantial danger" and should be kept in the state mental hospital.

In a statement to KOIN 6 News, prosecutor Lauren Boyd said “Judge Clark was forced to make a difficult decision in a tragic case. But our office agrees that Judge Clark made the correct decision given the opinions of both the State’s and the defense’s experts. We are incredibly sad for Star Murrah and her family.”

During the 2021 incident, officers responded to Monica's home on F Street just after 10:30 a.m. where they found Michael Murrah had a "red substance" on his hands they believed to be blood, according to probable cause documents.

The person who found Monica Murrah called 9-1-1 and performed first aid until other officers and paramedics came to the scene, according to the affidavit.

Officers who treated Monica at the scene noticed she had “numerous injuries to her person,” including her neck, according to the affidavit. She later died at a local hospital from her injuries.

Authorities said the couple’s 8-year-old son was also in the home when the deadly attack happened. The child was not physically injured.

According to the statement of the officer who advised Michael Murrah of his Miranda Rights, which the affidavit said were waived, Murrah “admitted he stabbed someone who he identified as ‘starbeast.'”

The affidavit went on to say Murrah “killed starbeast to fulfill a prophecy.”

Murrah also told the arresting officer “He was filling a commandment and prophecy from the lord and savior Jesus Christ. Jesus told him to make a sacrifice for the good of all,” according to court documents.

Judge Clark's June 6 filing said Murrah’s mental disease or defect is supported by previous mental health records, including multiple diagnoses by mental health professionals, prescriptions for psychotropic medications, and reports from the first responding officers and jail medical records.

According to court documents, Murrah sought therapy between August 2020 and November 2021. During that period, he consistently reported "hallucinations, hearing voices, psychosis, and religious delusions", court documents stated.

Court documents show Monica filed for a restraining order against her husband in July 2020 amid their ongoing divorce.

In the court filing for the restraining order, she wrote “Michael has threatened suicide during arguments. One time he even grabbed a large knife and sat outside our bedroom threatening to kill himself. I’m terrified if he does, what if he kills me and our son also.”

In the petition, she also claimed there were other instances of emotional and physical abuse to her and her son. However, Commissioner Carin Schienberg ruled there wasn’t enough evidence of domestic violence and denied the protection order.

KOIN 6 News reached out to Shon Bogar, an attorney representing Murrah. This story will be updated if we receive a response.