A 20-year-old man from Connecticut, accused of brutally attacking his mother and then lamenting her loss, faced a judge for the first time on Monday.
Sebastian Van Stockum, charged with the murder of his 55-year-old mother, Laura Williams, made a brief appearance at Stamford Superior Court.
As reported by News 8, Van Stockum sought the assistance of a public defender and requested an optometrist to provide him with glasses, as detailed in their coverage of the case.
The tragic event transpired on October 24, when Van Stockum allegedly used a hammer to fatally attack his mother at her residence in New Canaan, located near South Avenue and Gerdes Road.
Authorities responded to the scene at 10:36 p.m. following a distress call from a person who heard someone shouting “mama” in a nearby wooded area.
Just four minutes later, at 10:40 p.m., Van Stockum himself called 911, tearfully admitting to the crime.
“I want to turn myself in. I just killed my mom, and I don’t know why I did it,” he reportedly said.
Police arrived to find a “a hammer covered in blood” in the driveway. When they detained Van Stockum, he admitted that he also used his hands and knife while beating Williams.
“I tried using a knife, I tried using a hammer and I used my fists,” he reportedly told investigators.
First responders pronounced Williams deceased at the scene. A police report indicated that she died from blunt force injuries and had a cracked skull.
“This was an especially violent murder. The victim was found bludgeoned to death with extreme trauma to their skull,” Norwalk Judicial District State’s Attorney Paul Ferencek said, according to WFSB.
A judge ordered Van Stockum to be held on a $2 million bond. A probable cause hearing has been scheduled for January 2, 2026.
DailyMail reports that Van Stockum is the son of New York restaurateur, Dirk Van Stockum.
Williams’ brother, David Williams, who described her as self-made and driven, told the Stamford Advocate that mother and son would often argue over “what he should be doing,” although “she supported him in everything.”
He also said Laura Williams was a “talented writer and artist” who previously worked as an editor for a Los Angeles movie production company. She later moved to New York, met the defendant’s father, and worked for the Seagram Company.
At the time of her death, Williams, a single mother, was a high-end antiques dealer, working from home.
[Feature Photo: Sebastian Van Stockum/Instagram; Laura Williams/Family Handout]
