Early Tuesday morning, an elderly couple in California and their dog were found brutally killed, reportedly by their son, who fled the scene covered in blood.
Elderly couple horrifically murdered by their own son
Orange County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic call around 7:30 a.m., at the San Juan Mobile Estates.
When they rolled up, police encountered a horrifying scene, discovering the decapitated bodies of an elderly man and woman, and their dog.
The victims were later identified as Antoinette Gerdvil, 79, and her spouse Ronald Gerdvil, 77.
The primary suspect is their 41-year-old son, Joseph Gerdvil, who lived with them and was found nearby, drenched in blood.
Shortly after discovering the crime scene, deputies received reports of a bloody suspect chasing a maintenance worker within the mobile home park.
Joseph allegedly carjacked the maintenance worker’s golf cart before being confronted by a deputy near a bike trail.
The officer fired multiple shots at Joseph, who was charging at him while holding an unidentified object and ignoring commands to get on the ground.
The first three bullets didn’t stop Joseph, but the fourth shot brought him down, bleeding from his abdomen.
Officers ordered him to roll onto his stomach, and he eventually complied.
As they provided first aid, Joseph murmured phrases indicating his remorse and begged the arresting officers to kill him.
He also inexplicably began singing lyrics from Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” and Stevie Wonder’s “I Just Called to Say I Love You.”
He was treated for his wounds on-site until the Orange County Fire Authority took him to a hospital, where he remains in critical but stable condition.
Killer son slapped murder charges
Once released from the hospital, Joseph will face two counts of homicide, with additional charges expected.
Joseph’s motive for allegedly slaying his parents and their dog is not currently known, but a family member told Fox 11 that he suffers from mental illness and has been violent on prior occasions.
However, neighbor David Desmond reported witnessing a heated argument between Joseph and his father the previous day, describing the confrontation as aggressive.
Another neighbor, Bob Demario, suggested that Joseph had a drug problem, which he believes is the reason he lived with his parents.
Community members described the victims as friendly and a “very sweet couple.”
Tammy Pavese mentioned that Antoinette often walked their dog in the neighborhood, where he was well known.
“‘And at that age to tragically be murdered by your own son is just tragic, period,” she noted.
Grandson shoots his elderly couple in their home
A young man from Louisiana was taken into custody in July, after allegedly murdering his grandparents in their home.
Colby Stokes faces charges for two counts of first-degree murder following the deaths of Beverly and Carley Stokes.
Deputies from the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene after receiving a 911 call on July 3, after Stokes allegedly admitted to killing his grandparents to a neighbor.
Deputies found the elderly couple inside their home with apparent gunshot wounds.
Carley Stokes was declared dead at the scene, while Beverly Stokes was transported to a hospital but soon succumbed to her injuries.
Colby didn’t bother to run from the police, he stayed with neighbor who reported the incident and was subsequently arrested by the responding deputies.
Murder charges for villainous grandson
Washington County Sheriff Jason Smith told reporters that Stokes confessed to shooting his grandparents when he was interviewed by detectives.
Sheriff Smith mentioned that Stokes had prior encounters with law enforcement, including a 2018 arrest for a burglary after he stole several firearms.
Smith noted that Stokes had been in and out of jail and struggled with mental health issues and substance abuse.
He added that the situation placed the family in a difficult position, as they were both victims and perpetrators of the crime.
In addition to the murders, Stokes was charged with cruelty to animals, second-degree aggravated battery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Though he was only charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter off the bat, the charges were upgraded to first-degree murder the day after his arrest.
Stokes is currently being held without bond.
