Son scolded about messing with the furnace uses cast iron skillet to crack mom's skull and stabs his father to death: Police

A 44-year-old antheral successful Indiana is accused of fatally stabbing his begetter and critically injuring his parent during a convulsive home onslaught stemming from an statement implicit changing the furnace temperature, authorities said.

Jason Whitaker is charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery, 2 counts of home artillery by means of a deadly weapon, and 2 counts of artillery resulting successful superior bodily wounded successful the onslaught connected 74-year-old Orell Whitaker and his wife, authorities announced.

According to a news release from the Merrillville Police Department, officers were dispatched astatine astir 2 a.m. connected Sunday to the 7400 artifact of Hendricks Street aft a 911 caller reported that "her and her hubby were being stabbed." When officers arrived, they encountered the suspect, aboriginal identified arsenic Jason Whitaker, exiting the location "with his hands up" and took him into custody "without incident."

Additional officers entered the residence and rendered assistance to the victims. Police said 1 unfortunate was transported to Franciscan Health successful Crown Point successful "stable, but captious condition," portion the 2nd unfortunate "was recovered deceased." Authorities said the ordeal was "an isolated incidental with nary further threats to the public."

Court documents obtained by the Chicago Tribune provided further details astir the alleged onslaught and the events starring up to it.

According to a probable origin affidavit, the incidental began erstwhile Jason Whitaker's parent asked him — not for the archetypal clip — to halt turning disconnected the furnace successful the basement. He allegedly responded by violently attacking her.

The parent told constabulary she was connected the basement stairs erstwhile Jason Whitaker struck her successful the caput with a formed robust skillet earlier stabbing her aggregate times. That is erstwhile Jason Whitaker's begetter reportedly intervened connected behalf of his wife.

While Orell Whitaker's involution allowed his woman to flight up the stairs and telephone 911, Jason Whitaker allegedly stabbed his begetter aggregate times, yet sidesplitting him.

The parent told investigators that erstwhile she peered backmost down the stairs, she saw Jason Whitaker holding his begetter by the feet and dragging him on the basement floor. The 74-year-old antheral was pronounced dormant astatine the country and his decease was ruled a homicide.

Jason Whitaker's parent suffered "extensive injuries," including aggregate stab wounds and a fractured skull that required a metallic sheet to beryllium surgically placed successful her head.

According to the affidavit, erstwhile Jason Whitaker fto constabulary successful done the beforehand door, helium was holding a bloody weapon — the aforesaid weapon constabulary judge helium utilized to termination his father.

When questioned, Jason Whitaker allegedly admitted to constabulary that helium stabbed his begetter successful the cervix and tummy astir 4 times, the Times of Northwest Indiana reported, citing tribunal documents.

The parent told constabulary that she and her hubby had antecedently kicked Jason Whitaker retired of their home, but decided to fto him instrumentality aft helium ran up precocious edifice bills.

A comparative reportedly informed authorities that Jason Whitaker suffers from schizophrenia.

During an interrogation with police, Jason Whitaker reportedly made a bid of claims, alleging his parents confined him successful the basement and engaged successful transgression activity. Police said determination was nary grounds supporting immoderate of Jason Whitaker's assertions. He further claimed that the onslaught connected his begetter was successful self-defense.

Jason Whitaker remains successful custody astatine the Lake County Detention Center without bond. It was not instantly wide erstwhile helium was scheduled to look successful court.