California Man Admitted To Attacking Mom With Hammer, Then Shooting Her Multiple Times Before Cutting Her Heart Out And Performing A Solo Sex Act For Release

A California man is facing murder charges after confessing to police officials that he attacked his mother with a hammer before shooting her multiple times in the back, cutting her heart out, and performing a solo sex act afterwards for release, according to Mercury News. Omar Pettigen, 31, of Fremont told investigators that on September 28 his mother Nailah Pettigen, 64, who was a retired math teacher at American High School and alleged oxycodone addict after having hip and knee problems, pointed a gun at him after an argument ensued between the two at the Rancho Luna apartment home they shared.

Pettigen said he used a hammer to knock the gun out of her hands and claimed to have left the room to retrieve a tomahawk. When he returned, he began smashing her head in. It is unclear if he used the same gun that he knocked out of his mother’s hands, but according to NY Daily News, he shot his mother once in the head and six times in the back before cutting her open from chin, all the way down to her cervix and ripping her heart out with his bare hands.

Popular retired teacher Nailah Pettigen, 64, was discovered dead at the Fremont apartment she shared with her son… http://t.co/khnHpekjFT

— Melvin J Hirtzel Sr (@mhirtzsr) October 7, 2015

Afterwards he placed his mother’s heart back into her body, pulled her underwear down to her ankles and began to masturbate because “he needed to be with himself and needed a release after the event.” According to court documents, Pettigen murdered his mother because “she was killing herself with oxycodone she had become addicted to from her hip and knee problems and surgeries.” Pettigen later took a shower and rented a room at a San Francisco hotel before stopping by his friend’s job to invite them back to his room for drinks.

Meanwhile, his father Saladen Pettigen – who lives in New Mexico – and Nailah’s ex-husband tried desperately to get in touch with them through telephone. When he was unsuccessful, he alerted Fermount police and requested a welfare check on his family. The following day at approximately 11:02 a.m., police officials arrived at Nailah’s home on 3939 Monroe Avenue. When they noticed the door was unlocked, they entered the home and discovered the retired school teacher dead. After an investigation was conducted, it was concluded that there was no forced entry and “no valuables were taken from the home.”

@FremontPD says 31- y/o Omar Malik Pettigen wanted for violently murdering his mom. pic.twitter.com/kJjYatSVwY

— alan wang (@AlanWangABC7) October 4, 2015

However, after viewing surveillance footage, it placed her son at the home during the time she was murdered. Phone records also indicated that Pettigen was at the home. At approximately 5:45 on Sunday, after Kensington police officials received an anonymous call about a suspicious person with a duffel bag behind a home on Lake Drive, Pettigen was arrested.

Nailah Pettigen left legacy of acceptance, support & dedication to her students. My heart hurts. World needs her. http://t.co/ghoOJL6qfZ

— Jessica Bylo Chacon (@bylochacon) October 7, 2015

Samples of his “DNA, clothing, and footprints were collected” by investigators following his arrest.

After learning that his son had murdered his ex-wife, Saladen told investigators that Pettigen had not been getting along with his mother ever since he returned from “Morocco about a month ago where he was living in a tent and working on a marijuana farm.” Family and friends were devastated by Nailah’s tragic death and a vigil was held in her honor at St. James Episcopal Church last Monday.

“I tried to be just as good as her,” said Rochelle Hooks, who worked alongside Nailah for three years. “I got a lot of ideas when I shared a room with her. Being a teacher, you’re kind of in your own island, you don’t really see what other teachers do, so sharing a room with her was a blessing.”

In a court affidavit, Detective Craig Gaches said he “asked how he felt about his actions and he said ‘good.’ During the interview, Omar did not show any signs of remorse by crying or being upset in any way.”

After Omar Pettigen confessed to killing his mother, he was charged with “murder and desecration of human remains” and held at Santa Rita Jail without bail. His arraignment was held on Tuesday and Pettigen had to make another court appearance Wednesday morning – it is unclear if he entered a plea.

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