Menlo Park murder defendant’s attorney says he was motivated by cannibalism

The trial of 30-year-old Francis Wolke, accused of murdering retired Atherton town arborist Kathy Hughes Anderson, got off to a shocking start, as his defense attorney claimed that Wolke wanted to engage in cannibalism.

Wolke’s attorney, Connie O’Brien, said in her opening statement on Feb. 14 that her client was driven to murder by a desire to engage in cannibalism. Cincinnati resident Wolke pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity at a hearing in November 2020.

San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe said that cannibalistic behavior does not play a role in the prosecution’s case against Wolke.

According to Wagstaffe, Menlo Park resident Hughes Anderson was stabbed through the eye with a pencil, causing hemorrhage. The prosecution does not know why Hughes Anderson was chosen as the victim.

Wagstaffe said there is no question about who committed the murder, but rather if Wolke’s mental state was competent enough to face the murder charge.

In February 2021, doctors tasked with determining whether Wolke was sane at the time of the fatal stabbing in Hughes Anderson’s Menlo Park home in December 2018 returned with split conclusions. One doctor concluded that the defendant was sane and the other concluded that he was not.

Hughes Anderson was found in her Valparaiso Avenue home after Daniel Baggett, an ex-tenant, had visited the house. While there, he told The Almanac in 2018, he came across Wolke in the house with blood on him. Baggett detained Wolke in the house at knife-point until police arrived and found Hughes Anderson’s body.

The trial was continued to Tuesday, Feb. 21, due to the prosecutor testing positive for COVID-19.

Almanac staff contributed to this report.

Almanac staff contributed to this report.

Almanac staff contributed to this report.

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