Officials identify South Hill woman who died when son struck her with rocks
A South Hill woman killed by her son has been identified.
Sharmaene Yeaman, 49, died from a blunt force head injury, according to the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Investigators say her son struck her in the head with three large rocks Thursday outside their apartment.
Skyler Yeaman, 27, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and is being held on $1 million bail.
He has previously been referred for involuntary commitment due to mental health issues and has admitted to hallucinating and ingesting drugs, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
Skyler Yeaman lived with his mother and her fiance at the Aspen Creek Apartments, 12724 104th Ave. Ct. E.
Several neighbors called 911 about 9 a.m. Thursday to report seeing him assaulting his mother with rocks.
When deputies arrived, Skyler Yeaman was sitting nearby on an electrical box.
Sharmaene Yeaman was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses said he threw a rock at his mother and knocked her to the ground.
“The male then picked the rock up, stood over the female, and slammed the rock on her head,” prosecutors wrote in charging papers.
The rock was estimated to be larger than a basketball.
After being arrested, Skyler Yeaman said he was on drugs at the time he attacked his mom and denied suffering from mental health problems, though he said he has an “explosive disorder.”
This story was originally published August 4, 2020 at 10:12 AM.
