Florida man stabs sister 'well over 20 times,' then surrenders in Macon, sheriff says

A Florida man made an unusual request in the parking deck of a Macon hospital Sunday evening before making a startling confession.

"You need to put me in handcuffs because I just murdered my sister," Christopher Scott Horan told a Navicent Health police officer. That's what Sheriff Bob Gualtier said Monday at a news conference in Pinellas County, Florida.

Leanna Horan’s body was found in a gruesome scene inside her apartment just north of Clearwater. The 42-year-old had been "stabbed well over 20 times" in the head, neck and back, Gualtier said.

"The attack was so violent that one of the knives appeared to be bent because he tried to stab her in the head," Gualtier said. "It also appears, from the crime scene, at this point, that Leanna was trying to flee as Christopher was attacking her and keeping her in her apartment."

Pinellas County sheriff detectives traveled to Georgia to interview Christopher Horan at the Bibb County jail.

The 39-year-old was cooperative at first. He told them he killed his sister Saturday about 7 p.m. during an argument.

"He wanted to go out, apparently drinking or clubbing," Gualtier said. "She didn’t want him to go. … According to him, he stabbed her 'too many times.' "

Horan told investigators he used his slain sister’s credit card to buy an airline ticket to Mexico, but "somehow ended up in Macon, Georgia" with his sister’s car, Gualtier said.

It is unclear why Christopher Horan came to Macon. The sheriff said he has no family in Georgia.

"According to Horan’s family, he has mental health issues, but we can find no record of any law enforcement contacts … no prior involuntary examinations," Gualtier said, adding that Horan’s criminal history includes misdemeanors such as driving under the influence, disorderly conduct and trespassing.

Horan was booked in the Bibb County jail about 7:30 p.m. Sunday on a "general hold," jail records show. He is charged with murder in Florida and is awaiting extradition.

This story was originally published January 29, 2018 at 6:25 PM with the headline "Florida man stabs sister 'well over 20 times,' then surrenders in Macon, sheriff says."