Man charged in Christmas Day killing of mother

OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) — A 41-year-old Sandy, Ore., man has been charged with murder in the Christmas Day shooting of his mother at her home.

Clackamas County sheriff’s deputies said 66-year-old Vivian Bighaus, a nurse practitioner, was shot with a high-powered rifle and her husband, 67-year-old Phillip Bighaus, was a witness.

Michael Bighaus was taken into custody on Dec. 26 after he returned to his parents’ home.

The Oregonian reports that Michael Bighaus muttered throughout his video arraignment Monday in Clackamas County Circuit Court.

He has been described as a transient who sometimes camped in the Sandy area. Sheriff’s spokesman Detective Jim Strovink says a family member reported that Michael Bighaus suffered from a mental disorder but was not taking his prescribed medication.

He is being held without bail. A preliminary hearing on the murder charge is set for Jan. 5.

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Information from: The Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com