WICHITA, Kan. – A former morning news anchor in St. Louis has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder after allegedly stabbing her 80-year-old mother to death in their shared home on Halloween morning, authorities said.
Angelynn “Angie” Mock, 47, was taken into custody Friday, Oct. 31, following a 911 call she placed around 7:52 a.m. from a residence on Wichita’s South Side. Dispatchers reported that Mock claimed she had stabbed her mother “to save herself,” according to Sedgwick County records and police statements.
Officers arrived to find Mock standing outside the home. Inside, they discovered her mother, Anita Avers, unresponsive in her bed with multiple stab wounds to the upper body. Avers was rushed to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 8:26 a.m. Mock, who sustained minor injuries, was treated at the scene before being booked into the Sedgwick County Jail. She is being held on a $1 million bond.
The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office confirmed the first-degree murder charge Monday, with an initial court appearance scheduled for Nov. 4. Police have not disclosed a motive, but investigators described the scene as a “reported cutting” that escalated into a homicide probe. The case remains under active investigation, and authorities are seeking additional information from the public.
Mock, who previously anchored mornings at FOX 2 in St. Louis from 2011 to 2015, had also worked as a reporter and anchor at KOKH FOX 25 in Oklahoma City. At the time of the incident, she was employed in sales for a data management software company, per her LinkedIn profile. Avers, a retired educator, and Mock had lived together in Wichita for several years, with social media posts showing a close mother-daughter bond, including photos from 2019 where they appeared smiling and hugging.
Neighbors expressed shock over the incident. One, who spoke to local media on condition of anonymity, said Mock had briefly knocked on her door earlier that morning, acting distressed, before returning inside to call 911. “It’s heartbreaking—I’ve known them for years, and this is the last thing you’d expect,” the neighbor told KAKE News.
Wichita Police Chief Troy Livingston emphasized community support for the family and urged residents not to speculate. “This is a tragic loss, and our thoughts are with all involved,” he said in a statement. No other individuals were present during the incident, and authorities believe it was isolated.
Mock’s arrest has drawn national attention due to her past in broadcast journalism, where she covered local stories with a focus on community events and human interest pieces. Colleagues from her St. Louis days remembered her as professional and engaging, with FOX 2 issuing a brief statement: “We are saddened by this news and extend our condolences to the family.”
As the legal process unfolds, counseling resources are available through the Sedgwick County Crisis Center at 316-660-7521. Anyone with information is asked to contact Wichita Police at 316-268-4200.