A New Canaan man’s killing of his own mother this past weekend was an “especially violent” murder where the victim was “bludgeoned to death” with multiple blows to the skull, prosecutors said Monday afternoon.
Sebastian Van Stockum, 20, of New Canaan, is arraigned for murder at Connecticut Superior Court in Stamford, Conn. on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. Van Stockum called police and confessed to killing his mother Friday night, according to police. (Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media)
Sebastian Van Stockum, 20, did not speak during his first court appearance since New Canaan Police charged him Friday with murder.
Held at state Superior Court in Stamford, the brief hearing saw Van Stockum stand—lankily and visibly taller than those surrounding him—between marshals, wearing a white jumpsuit while handcuffed behind his back.
Sebastian Van Stockum, 20, of New Canaan, is arraigned for murder at Connecticut Superior Court in Stamford, Conn. on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. Van Stockum called police and confessed to killing his mother Friday night, according to police. (Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media)
Represented at the appearance by Greenwich-based criminal defense attorney Philip Russell, Van Stockum did not plead. His bond was held at $2 million and he remains in custody.
“This was a terrible shock,” Russell said minutes after the hearing, addressing journalists as well as TV news crews outside the courthouse. “Nobody anticipated this or foresaw this. At this point there’s an awful lot of loose ends. All I can say is it would be premature for anyone to rush to judgement. Obviously it’ s a tragic situation, and it’s a family.”
New Canaan Police said in a press release that at about 10:36 p.m. on Oct. 25 the agency received a report of a man yelling from the woods nearSouth Avenue and Gerdes Road. While officers were responding, the NCPD dispatch received a 9-1-1 call from a man, later identified as Van Stockum, stating that he had killed his mother, the release said. She was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Sebastian Van Stockum’s NCHS senior photo in “Perannos.”
Van Stockum has been a resident of Connecticut for five years, officials said during the arraignment. He has a high school education and no prior arrests in Connecticut or out-of-state, officials said.
Russell requested that Van Stockum, prior to his next court appearance on Nov. 3, be transferred to Garner Correctional Institution, a high-security male prison in Newtown. The court granted his request, and also agreed with prosecutors that he will not be allowed to post bond until after a court hearing on conditions of release. His father attended the hearing and declined to answer questions afterwards.
Sebastian Van Stockum, middle row far left, was a member of the NCHS indoor track team. “Perannos” 2023 yearbook
Van Stockum is a 2023 New Canaan High School graduate. In a Sunday email to district families, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi said, “By now, you’ve likely learned the disturbing news involving two New Canaan residents, an individual who graduated in the NCHS class of 2023 and his mother, who is now deceased. This is a tragic case, and details are still emerging and will likely continue to emerge for some time. I want to acknowledge how unsettling and painful this news may be for some in our community, especially for those who knew the family personally. Please know that our counselors and staff are available to support anyone who may be struggling to process these events. If your child appears to be having difficulty, I encourage you to reach out to your school’s counseling team for help and support.”
By communicating openly and supporting one another, Luizzi said, “we can ensure that every child feels seen, cared for, and safe.”
[Note: This article has been corrected to show that state marshals, not federal marshals, stood behind the accused at his arraignment.]
Incredibly shocking! I’m still trying to wrap my head around 3 murders in 6 years.
Additionally the untimely death of Ms. Preyer is being investigated as a serious crime: “The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Preyer’s cause of death was listed as “circumstances pending further investigation” and manner of death was “pending investigation.” State police said Wednesday that the Western District Major Crimes unit initially was assisting New Canaan police but the state police unit now is the lead agency “due to the complexity of the case.'” https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/essence-preyer-new-canaan-stamford-21126964.php
Absolutely no reason to drag the track team into this. While he was a member of the team, that had nothing to do with him doing what he did and you should be ashamed of yourself for including an incredible team of innocent boys and men. You’ve put the reputation of the program in jeopardy for no real reason at all.
Take down the track pic of other kids. Inappropriate
Hi. I think the photo of the Track Team should be removed. Those children are minors and I do not think they would appreciate being associated with a murder. Especially if this makes national news. It is very inappropriate to include this photo without their consent.
To all those commenting about the track team photo, I don’t get the reason for censorship. Just because some or all kids in the photo might have interacted with Van Stockum does not make them complicit in any way. If anything, it is a lesson to our kids to notice the signs and say something. It’s NCHS. It’s not a big school. Everyone knows someone who knows Van Stockum.
The article states that Van Stockum was surrounded by “U.S. Marshals.” Michael, is that accurate? My understanding is that this is a state case — he was charged by the NCPD and arraigned in Stamford Superior Court. As such, he was more likely surrounded by Connecticut Judicial Marshals, not U.S. Marshals.
No you’re right Craig. Thank you! I’ll correct it.