Russell Allen Spoors, 35, of Austin pleaded guilty to felony third-degree murder-perpetrating eminently dangerous act and evincing depraved mind as part of a plea agreement on Wednesday in Mower County District Court.

The charge was reduced from the original charge of felony second-degree murder-with intent-not premeditated as part of the agreement.

Spoors was charged in the Feb. 22, 2018, stabbing death of his mother, Susan Spoors, at their residence in the 400 block of Second Avenue Southeast. According to court documents, police reported to the residence prior to the stabbing after Susan expressed concern that Russell was trying to abuse his medication. She told police she had to hide his medication in her room and that she was “scared” because he would threaten her when she told him to stop going into her room to find it. Police arranged for Susan to stay elsewhere for the night, but she declined, believing he had calmed down and would go to bed.

Russell called police 33 minutes later and reported that Susan stabbed herself with a 12-inch knife. First responders found Susan lying on her bed and bleeding from her abdomen. She was unresponsive and her breathing was slow and shallow. She later died from her wounds at Mayo Clinic Health System-Austin.

Russell continued to tell police Susan stabbed herself, then later changed his story, telling officers Susan came out of her bedroom with a phone and he came at her with a knife in his hand. She told him to “stop,” at which point he stabbed her several times.

Police found three knives, one of which had blood on it, in the mailbox.

Felony third-degree murder-perpetrating eminently dangerous act and evincing depraved mind carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison in Minnesota.

Spoors will be sentenced on June 27.