02.11.2026 13:42
In the US, 36-year-old Christopher Peden has been charged with cutting off his own genitals, pouring gasoline on them, and starting a fire in his mother's garage. It was stated that the man, who initially claimed he had been attacked, later confessed that he had harmed himself. After psychological evaluations, Peden was found fit to stand trial, and it was decided that he would appear before a judge in May 2027.
The incident in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA, drew attention with details revealed in court documents. It was alleged that 36-year-old Christopher Peden cut off his own genitalia with a kitchen knife in the garage of the house where his mother lived.
According to documents submitted to the court by a fire investigator, Peden poured gasoline on the genitalia he had cut off and set it on fire near the garage entrance. The suspect, who left the scene after the fire, was caught by police teams.
GASOLINE CAN AND KNIFE FOUND IN GARAGE
In a report submitted to the court by Fort Wayne Fire Department official Trayson Luna, details about the investigations at the scene were shared.
During the teams' examination of the garage, a gasoline can, four BIC brand lighters and a kitchen knife were collected as evidence.
The fate of the genitalia Peden cut off remains unclear. The court documents contain no information about whether the organ in question was found or seized as evidence.
FIRST SAID HE WAS ATTACKED
It was stated that Peden, who was taken to the hospital and placed under treatment after the incident, told a different story in his initial statement to police teams.
The 36-year-old man claimed that he had been threatened one day before the incident and that a person whose identity he did not know later stabbed him.
However, it was reported that Peden, who met again with a police officer during his treatment at the hospital, admitted that his statement about being attacked was not true.
It was reported that Peden confessed that he had inflicted the wounds on his body himself.
TAKEN FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION
In the judicial process initiated regarding the incident, Peden's mental state also became a subject of examination.
Upon the application of defense lawyers, Judge Frances Gull decided to conduct a psychological examination to evaluate the defendant's fitness to stand trial and his criminal responsibility at the time of the incident.
Within this scope, separate evaluations were carried out by Dr. David Lombard and Dr. Stephen Ross.
However, it was stated that the reports prepared by the two experts were not present in the publicly available court file.
WILL APPEAR BEFORE A JUDGE IN MAY 2027
At the hearing held at the court in Fort Wayne on October 29, after the psychological evaluations, it was decided that Peden was fit to stand trial.
The court decided that the case would be heard in May 2027.
It was learned that Christopher Peden, who was taken into custody due to the charges against him, was released on $10,000 bail.
There is no definitive information regarding why the incident was carried out or why the suspect targeted his mother's house.