Delia D'Ambra

The state's main rationale, though, as to why they offered Troy a plea bargain was because a clinical psychologist who'd been working with Troy since the murder concluded that he'd had an extensive history with substance use disorder starting at the age of 12.

Levi, Troy's dad, who would eventually become a murder victim at the hands of his own son, told the psychologist back in 1996 that he expected Troy to commit a crime as violent as murder given his history with alcohol and drug use.

Despite the psychologist stating that the nature of Troy's drug and alcohol use disorder could, as the News Herald put it, cause a person to become suicidal or homicidal, the court in 1997 did not agree that he was criminally liable for taking a life.

Fast forward almost two decades, though, and Troy had racked up additional criminal convictions and been in and out of prison several times.

When he killed his parents in March 2014, he'd just recently been let out of prison after serving time for receiving stolen property, and there were outstanding charges against him for hit-and-run, traffic violations, and breaking and entering.

To this day, no one has been able to understand his motive for killing his dad and stepmom.

According to the coverage in this case, at the time of the crime, Troy was not living with Levi and Rhonda, though at least one article I saw did mention he might have recently moved back in.

Apparently, he'd moved out prior to March, but then perhaps came and went periodically.

One of his aunts told the Charlotte Observer that on Sunday, March 9th, Levi had asked Troy to join him and Rhonda for church, but Troy declined.

Then when the couple returned from the service, he shot them both.

Most officials who were involved in the case chalked Troy's homicidal actions up to his violent nature as a person and his long history with substance use disorders.

According to investigative reports and my interviews with Wade Keener and Jason's son Garrett, authorities determined that after murdering Levi and Rhonda, Troy stayed at their home with their bodies still in the basement and made a phone call to a relative as well as went on a bit of a bender.

He'd also left intermittently, used his parents' credit cards, and accessed their checkbook.

It was documented in some court records related to his prior convictions that he had a history of mental health issues for which the court system recommended he be given help.

It's not stated in the available source material though, if he ever received the care he needed.

In the weeks before his violent crime spree, Troy wrote on social media that he was struggling, typing, "'Why is it that you take everything that you love for granted?

I have nothing left and am not in a good place.

Please keep me in your prayers.'"

He'd also posted about how his dad Levi was the best father in the world and had always been there for him.

But Troy wrote that he believed he'd let his dad down.