Florida Mother's Nightmare: Son's Chilling Murder Confession Revealed
Dawn Haas always sensed something was profoundly wrong with her son, but she never imagined he could commit murder. In a harrowing new documentary series, the Florida mother confronts the brutal reality as she hears her son's cold-blooded confession for the very first time.
A Mother's Unthinkable Discovery
When Dawn Haas gave birth to her son Justyn Pennell, she believed she was bringing a perfect child into the world. Over the years, however, disturbing behaviors emerged that haunted her maternal instincts. She would wake to find him staring intently at her, witness uncontrollable fits of rage, and observe his amusement at others' suffering. Despite these alarming signs, Haas clung to the image of her "sweet, baby boy," never suspecting the darkness that lurked within.
On January 9, 2020, that darkness manifested in the most horrific way possible. Pennell, then 21 years old, intentionally struck and killed 75-year-old Michael Pratt, a Vietnam veteran and grandfather who was walking with his cane in Hudson, Florida. The young man promptly called 911, calmly admitting, "I just killed someone. I don't know what's wrong with me." He was later sentenced to life in prison after pleading no contest to first-degree premeditated murder.
The Documentary That Shattered a Mother's World
Haas's heartbreaking story features prominently in Evil Lives Here: My Child the Killer, a new Investigation Discovery spinoff that explores the devastating experiences of parents who discover their children are capable of unimaginable violence. In the series' premiere episode, Haas hears her son's 911 confession for the first time, revealing details that shattered her understanding of the boy she raised.
"That's not the Justyn I know," she tearfully insists as she listens to his detached, calm voice describing the murder. "That's not him." The documentary captures her visceral reaction as she grapples with the realization that there was "so much more to him that I didn't see, so much more that I didn't know."
A Chilling Confession of Premeditated Violence
The 911 recording reveals Pennell's calculated intentions in terrifying detail. He tells the dispatcher he had been "driving around roads looking for people I can hit while avoiding witnesses" when he spotted Pratt with his cane. "I made a U-turn," he continues matter-of-factly. "I just went for him."
In subsequent police interviews, Pennell admitted he had contemplated murder for "several months" and simply wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone. When questioned about other methods, he revealed a disturbing fascination with knives, stating, "I mean I'm really fond of knives. I was thinking about slicing people up and cutting them open. Dissecting them, essentially."
Haas breaks down as she views, for the first time, photographs of items recovered from her son's car—multiple knives, gloves, and a hatchet that she describes in horror as "a literal murder kit."
Warning Signs Ignored or Missed
Looking back, Haas recalls numerous red flags that now seem ominously clear. When Pennell was just nine years old, he became annoyed with a duck and repeatedly slammed it against a log. As a teenager, he laughed when his cousin was struck by a car. "It created a red flag in the back of my brain that he might be a psychopath," Haas reflects. "Something is not right with him."
Despite her efforts to seek professional help, doctors evaluated Pennell and dismissed concerns, labeling him a typical child with nothing to worry about. "I was worried I might find him on the news," Haas confesses. Tragically, within a few years, her fears materialized in the worst possible way.
A Senseless Act of Pure Evil
Authorities described the killing as "an act of pure evil." Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco explained that Pennell deliberately accelerated toward Pratt, seeing the "look of fright on the victim's face" before running him over. The victim and killer had never met—their connection was merely one of opportunity.
Perhaps most chilling of all was Pennell's reaction after the murder. When investigators asked how he felt after hitting Pratt, he responded, "I just smiled and laughed. I enjoyed it, but afterwards, I calmed down. I was more ashamed that I broke the car."
A Mother's Enduring Love Amid Unthinkable Pain
Despite everything, Haas maintains contact with her son, whom she still affectionately calls "Bubby." In court, Pennell revealed diagnoses of Asperger's, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, though he acknowledged he was not medicated at the time of the murder and was capable of clear decision-making.
For Haas, the most difficult aspect isn't just what her son did, but hearing his darkest thoughts and wrestling with whether the signs were always there. "The mom in me is still feeling the hurt he's feeling," she sobs. "Because I can fix him and make him better? No, I can just love him."
Evil Lives Here: My Child the Killer premieres on Investigation Discovery, offering a raw, unflinching look at the parents forced to confront the monsters their children have become.
