Father of face-biting suspect calls attack a "nightmare" in Dr. Phil interview

TEQUESTA, Fla. -- The father of a Florida college student accused of randomly killing a Florida couple and biting the dead man’s facebroke down as he apologized for his son’s actions in an interview with television personality Dr. Phil McGraw.

Florida State University student Austin Harrouff, 19, allegedly attacked 53-year-old Michelle Mishcon and her husband, 59-year-old John Stevens III, on Aug. 15 as the couple were sitting in their garage in a quiet Florida neighborhood north of Jupiter. Both were beaten and stabbed. Police have said the attack may have been fueled by a synthetic drug like Flakka or bath salts, but are awaiting test results.

Speaking to Dr. Phil in an interview that will air Sept. 7, the teen’s father, dentist Dr. Wade Harrouff, described his son as “a good person” who “would never knowingly do something like that.”

A press release says that in his only televised sit-down interview, Wade Harrouff describes his son’s “manic behavior” at dinner the night of the murders, and says his son underwent a dramatic personality change two weeks prior to the murders.

Asked by Dr. Phil what he would say to the victims’ family, Harrouff is seen in a promotional video becoming emotional.

“It’s the worst thing I could ever think of. This is the biggest nightmare I could ever even dream of,” Harrouff says. “I’m deeply sorry for what my son did to those people.”

Harrouff has told local media in Florida that his son has a malfunctioning liver, fluid in his lungs and a bleeding esophagus. The teen remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition after police say he may have ingested chemicals in the couple’s garage.

A south Florida sheriff has said the attack was the most violent he’s investigated in his law enforcement career.