19-year-old Florida student stabs couple to death, found biting one victim's face

A 19-year-old student of Florida State University set into motion a string of events that is equal parts bizarre and horrific. He murdered two people in cold blood, assaulted another, and later feasted on one of his victim's face.

The suspect, identified as Austin Kelly Harrouff, stormed off while eating dinner with his parents who he was visiting during college break, and later attacked the couple, John Stevens and Michelle Mishcon who were sitting in their garage at home, completely unprovoked.

The couple succumbed to the multiple stab wounds that Harrouff inflicted on them with a knife, and several other blunt weapons. A neighbour who had tried to intervene and came in Harrouff's way also suffered several injuries.

What makes this incident of a star football player with an excellent school record resorting to such a random act of violence even more baffling, is the fact that the police could find absolutely no plausible connection between Harrouf and his victims.

The police are completely at a loss in their attempts to decipher what may have triggered such behavior in the college student, who does not hold a criminal record and had good grades in school.

Harouff was found by the police - who reached the spot on receiving a complaint of a fight breaking out in Martin County, Tequesta - hovering over the already dead 59-year-old John Stevens, grunting and growling.

When police officials tried to neutralize him with a taser gun, he reportedly exhibited "abnormal levels of strength", despite being bitten by a police dog and tackled by at least three law enforcement officials.

"Nothing was working. They were using all the force they were able to muster physically," Martin County Sheriff Snyder told reporters at a news conference, according to a Time report.

"As the deputy approached, they observed the suspect biting the male victim in the face," the sheriff's office told CNN.

Harrouff was critically wounded before being taken into custody. Charged with double homicide, he was taken to a nearby hospital, where he remained in an unconscious state. Harrouff was shirtless and was "making animal-like sounds" when he arrived at the hospital, reports Time.

Speculations of his actions being triggered by drug abuse have surfaced. He has however tested negative for use of cocaine, methamphetamines, marijuana and opioids, but more blood work has been ordered, authorities said.

Harrouff's health has deteriorated since being sedated at a hospital, and he is now in life-threatening condition, Snyder was reported to have said.

"There's not one thing in this case that seems to make sense," Snyder was quoted to have said in a Buzzfeed report. "We grasp to get our footing and try to understand what happened and why ... but we can't."