San Leandro man not guilty by reason of insanity in stabbing death of mom’s boyfriend

OAKLAND — A man who was 18 when he killed his mother’s boyfriend as the victim slept in his bed has been found not guilty by reason of insanity and turned over to the jurisdiction of the state hospital system, court records show.

Ty Bothwell-Mitlitsky, 23, was found not guilty by reason of insanity after a bench trial by Judge Paul Delucchi, according to court records. Delucchi then turned Bothwell-Mitlitsky over to the Napa State Hospital for a period of 12 years, according to court records.

When a person is found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity, it is a legal finding that they killed the victim but either didn’t understand the nature of their act or didn’t understand it was wrong.

On the morning of Feb. 7, 2020, Bothwell-Mitlitsky fatally stabbed 62-year-old Gregory Beshouri as Beshouri slept in the bed of his San Leandro home. There was no apparent motive and Bothwell-Mitlitsky’s mother witnessed the attack but wasn’t harmed, police said at the time.

After the stabbing, Bothwell-Mitlitsky made off in his mother’s car and was apprehended after a police chase, according to court records. When he was arrested he reportedly asked police if this was about the person he stabbed, and asked if Beshouri was OK.

Last September, Bothwell-Mitlitsky waived his right to a preliminary hearing, meaning police were never called to describe the crime in detail. Beshouri suffered multiple stab wounds.

An obituary published by this newspaper describes Beshouri as a learned and well-traveled Flint native who studied mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley and “never met a stranger.” He started his own consulting company and spent free time flying model aircraft near the Berkeley Marina, the obituary says.

“Greg was a big person who touched those he met with his spirit and humanity,” the obituary says.