Thousand Oaks Woman Convicted In Cannabis-Induced Killing: DA

THOUSAND OAKS, CA — A Thousand Oaks woman was convicted Friday in the 2018 killing of a man she was dating — a crime which the Ventura County District Attorney described as being the result of cannabis-induced psychotic disorder.

A jury convicted Bryn Spejcher, 32, of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Chad O’Melia, whom she had been seeing for a few weeks when the killing occurred, officials said in a news release Friday.

Officials said that on May 27, 2018, Spejcher went to O’Melia’s apartment in Thousand Oaks, where both took several hits from a bong loaded with marijuana.

"Spejcher had an adverse reaction to the marijuana and suffered from what experts call Cannabis-Induced Psychotic Disorder," the Ventura County District Attorney wrote in the news release. "During that psychotic episode, Spejcher stabbed Mr. O’Melia multiple times, killing him."

Early the next morning, police found O'Melia dead in a pool of blood and Spejcher "screaming hysterically" with a long-serrated bread knife still in her hands, officials said.

Before authorities were able to disarm her, Spejcher stabbed herself in the neck, according to officials. It took the use of a taser and "several baton blows" before they were finally able to remove the knife from Spejcher's hands, officials said.

Spejcher is set to appear at a trial in Ventura County Superior Court Monday for the special allegations and enhancements charges in the case, which include the use of a deadly weapon and the involvement of great violence.

"This was a hard-fought case where the victim’s family had to wait a long time for justice and I am grateful for the jury’s verdict," Ventura County Senior Deputy District Attorney Audry Nafziger said in Friday's news release. "We will continue with the presentation of evidence on Monday."