Aunt of Memphis surgeon murder suspect says he was only just released from mental health hospital

The aunt of the man charged with shooting Memphis hand surgeon Benjamin Mauck says her nephew had just been released from a mental health hospital before the attack. 

Larry Pickens, 29, has been charged with first degree murder for shooting Mauck in the exam room at the Campbell Clinic in Collierville, Tennessee earlier this week. 

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, the suspect's aunt Louise Pickens said her nephew 'was just in a mental institute, and they let him out and they shouldn't have.'

She explained that Pickens suffered from 'schizophrenic bipolar paranoid disorder' and that 'he thinks that people are after him, people are doing stuff to him and everything.' 

The concerned relative said that as a result of his condition Pickens had been in and out of mental health hospitals his entire life.

Larry Pickens, 29, has been charged with first degree murder for shooting Mauck in the exam room at the Campbell Clinic in Collierville, Tennessee, on Tuesday

Dr. Benjamin Mauck was murdered in his clinic on Tuesday afternoon 

Louise Pickens said the condition 'really got worse when he was in the 11th grade' and he had been treated repeatedly at Lakeside Behavioral Health in Memphis. 

Less than a week before the murder of Dr Mauck she says Pickens had spent the night in Crestwyn Behavioral Health, 'he went in and they let him out the next day' she explained.

Adding: 'They let him go and they shouldn't have.' 

Although she did not know why Larry went to see Dr. Mauck on Tuesday Louise Pickens confirmed that Dr Mauck had been Larry's doctor, recalling that 'the doctor operated on his finger.'

Summarizing the tragic situation Louise Pickens added: 'For my nephew, it's really sad. And I don't wish that upon no one.' 

Pickens had no prior criminal record in Collierville, but had called police several times on other people.

In April 2022, he called cops claiming someone had broken into his home.

During that incident, he told the officers he was schizophrenic and off his medication, according to local Memphis outlet WATE.

Dr. Benjamin Mauck's home in Memphis, the hand surgeon was murdered at his clinic on Tuesday 

Last year, Pickens is said to have threatened the owners of Faded Barber Shop because he didn't like his haircut 

In another, more threatening incident, he panicked staff and customers at a barbershop by complaining about his haircut. 

One of the barbershop owners said that he saw Pickens feeling around in his pocket as if he was reaching for a weapon.

He did not pull one out, and ended up calling the police himself claiming someone else had threatened him - which they had not.

That barbershop owner told WATE he was concerned for his staff.

'Someone felt threatened, and whenever we feel threatened, then we have to take care of our business.

'I thought he had some sort of mental disorder just off his actions and how he was carrying himself.

'He just was reaching in his pocket like he had a gun but he wasn’t pulling out nothing like he was going to shoot,' he said.

He was not charged of either incident. 

Pickens appeared in court on Wednesday to tell a judge that he did not have a lawyer.