Bartlett man pleads not guilty to murder in mother's stabbing death

The Bartlett man accused of stabbing his mother to death pleaded not guilty Tuesday to five counts of first-degree murder in DuPage County.

Edward Mitzelfeld, 64, was indicted Friday in the death of 93-year-old Frances Kelly. Mitzelfeld is being held on $5 million bail.

Prosecutors allege Mitzelfeld encountered his mother on the afternoon of May 29 and attacked her, twisting her head and neck in an attempt to kill her. When that didn't work, authorities said, he retreated to the attached garage and then returned to the house and attacked his mother in the kitchen before grabbing a "large kitchen knife" and stabbing her 12 times from behind.

One wound punctured her aorta, and several others injured her lungs.

Prosecutors said that after waiting several minutes, Mitzelfeld called 911, gave only the address of the house on Bryn Mawr Avenue he shared with Kelly, and hung up. He later called back and identified himself.

When police arrived at 5:27 p.m., Mitzelfeld was standing on the front lawn with his hands raised and told police the knife was in the kitchen sink, authorities said. Kelly was face down in a pool of her own blood, with several puncture wounds visible through her robe.

Mitzelfeld's next court date is scheduled for Aug. 19.