- May 1, 2024
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Erick Elom Niemi was acting in self-defense when he killed his landlord on May 29, Niemi’s mother told investigators and court officials.
Niemi, who rented a bedroom in Lynn’s home, was arrested in connection with the death of Leonard Lynn hours after law enforcement found Lynn’s body on June 1. But Niemi’s mother, Diann K. Bennett, said Lynn was threatening her son.
“He said that Mr. Lynn was enraged over some issue (and) was the aggressor, and that he came at my son with a knife,” Bennett wrote in a letter addressed to Circuit Judge J. David Walsh, which she also sent to investigators working on the case. “(Niemi) said he was frightened for his life.”
When Lynn approached Niemi with a knife, Niemi hit him, Bennett said. But Lynn continued to be aggressive, so Niemi pushed him down and hit him again. Lynn died as a result of the injuries he incurred. Niemi was later found in Lynn’s car close to the Palm Coast home where they both lived.
A medical examiner ruled that Lynn died as the result of blunt force trauma.
Bennett also said that Niemi has a limited mental capacity and a mild form of cognitive disability, which she said has affected him since birth.
“Basic things like paying bills on time, renewing licenses, returning items borrowed, saving money for emergencies, etc., are not easy for (Niemi) to understand,” his mother said.
She asked that Niemi be tested psychologically and that the results of that test be considered in Niemi’s case.
“(Niemi) said he was frightened and didn’t know what to do and panicked (after the fight with Lynn),” Bennett said. “This is where I feel my son’s mental capacity can affect his behavior. This may have some bearing on why (Niemi) did not seek medical help for Mr. Lynn.”
Niemi had long reported troubles with Lynn, Bennett said, including “yelling, acting strange, keeping him up at night with noise,” and opening Niemi’s mail. Sometimes, when the two were on the phone, Bennett said she could hear yelling in the background, she said. Once, when she visited her son, she met another tenet who expressed similar concerns about Lynn and said she was planning to find a new place to live because of Lynn’s behavior.
“Nothing I know about my son fits the tragic events that have been previously reported,” Bennett said, noting that she has already expressed condolences to Lynn's family and his pastor for his death. “Anyone else would have run away. I feel (that Niemi) became totally helpless and confused in his thinking.”
Niemi confessed to killing Lynn after he was arrested. He told investigators that he and Lynn were having a verbal argument on May 29 when Niemi tripped his landlord and held his head to the ground, choking him and knocking his head against the wall, according to an arrest report. The report does not reference a knife.
Niemi is currently awaiting trial for first-degree murder, and, if convicted, faces a possible death sentence. He was also charged with grand theft for taking Lynn’s vehicle.
His felony arraignment is set for 9 a.m. on July 15. He is also set to be sentenced Monday for an unrelated charge of grand theft, to which Niemi pled no contest earlier this year.
