TBS Today: Who is Jonah Roper?

A man alleged to have killed his mother Saturday in a brutal stabbing in Berkeley has a documented history of psychiatric problems and violence, according to court records reviewed by The Berkeley Scanner.

Jonah Roper, 36, is alleged to have stabbed Maura Ghizzoni, a 60-year-old midwife and artist, at her Berkeley Hills home in the 900 block of Overlook Road.

On Monday, The Scanner reviewed Roper's extensive criminal court file and found a history of violence and mental illness dating back to at least 2005 when Roper was just 18.

We reviewed hundreds of pages and uncovered a letter written by Ghizzoni on behalf of her son in 2009. We also found background on Roper's mental health struggles.

Don't miss the latest Berkeley Scanner deep dive with exclusive material you'll find nowhere else.

‘Erratic, violent’: Berkeley Hills murder suspect has dark past

A police officer described Jonah Roper’s behavior as “erratic, violent and sexually inappropriate” after he broke into his mother’s home in 2021.

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