PALM BEACH CO., Fla. — New audio recordings and documents were released Friday in the case of Paul Merhige, the man accused of killing members of his own family in Jupiter last Thanksgiving.
A conversation recorded between Merhige and his father after Merhige's arrest, shows Paul Merhige is trying to come to terms with the murders.
"I think about heaven, you know? I think about them constantly. I don't know how I could have done what I've done to everybody. Everybody I've hurt," said Merhige.
In a tearful phone call from behind bars, Paul Merhige accepted full responsibility for the murders of 4 member of his family.
"It's because of me. Everybody was right about me. You know...everything mom would say, it was completely right," said Merhige.
Throughout the conversation, Merhige's father listened to his son, only speaking to tell him about the family's pain. "It's a total nightmare. An emptiness. Our life has changed forever," said Merhige's father.
Also just released: a police interview with one of the survivors of the massacre, Patrick King. In an interview with detectives, King said Merhige showed no signs of anger before opening fire on the family.
"He was so normal acting. He asked me about my legal cases, we talked about football. I never would have thought that he would do something like this," said King.
King offered a vivid description of the shooting, which ended with the murder of Merhige's 6-year-old cousin, Mikayla.
"I saw him run in Mikayla's room and shoot her. I didn't seem him shoot her, but I heard it. And then he started to come out and then he went back in and shot her again," said King.
The state attorney's office is seeking the death penalty in the case. Merhige's next court hearing is set for November, when the judge is expected to set a trial date.
For his part, Merhige said he'd like to be sent to a hospital.