Clovis man to go to trial for mother’s death

FRESNO – There is enough evidence to send a Clovis man to trial for the murder of his 77-year-old mother, a Fresno Superior Court judge decided on Thursday.

Eric Tidrick, 49, is accused of stabbing his 77-year-old mother, LaDonna Tidrick, to death inside of her Clovis apartment last September. After hearing testimony and seeing the evidence in the case during a preliminary hearing, Judge Arlan Harrell ruled that Tidrick will stand trial on a charge of murder.

One piece of evidence presented during the hearing was the 911 call Tidrick made to the Clovis Police Department on Sept. 2. On the recording of the call, Tidrick is heard saying, “I just killed my mother.”

Drew Mosher was one of the Clovis officers who responded to the call at LaDonna Tidrick’s residence. After officers subdued Eric Tidrick, who initially was found in the dark holding a drill in one hand, Mosher moved into the bedroom in the apartment.

“I could see two feet – what appeared to be the feet of an elderly person – underneath a pile of pillows,” Mosher said.

Mosher discovered LaDonna Tidrick dead under the pillows.

Forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Chambliss said that LaDonna Tidrick’s death resulted from being stabbed in the heart.

Eric Tidrick was briefly taken to the hospital. Officer Randy Gen said that while there, he told a staff member he had killed his mother and wanted to kill himself. He also told the staffer he had been drinking for the past four days, Gens said.

Eric Tidrick has a criminal history. He was convicted as a juvenile of killing a McLane High School graduate more than 30 years ago.

Because of this prior conviction, Tidrick will face 51 years to life in prison if he is found guilty of murdering his mother.