A man from southern California was taken into custody after allegedly decapitating his elderly parents and the family dog, as announced by authorities on Wednesday.
Joseph Brandon Gerdvil, 41, is charged with the murder of 77-year-old Ronald Walter Gerdvil, 79-year-old Antoinette Gerdvil, and their dog, according to a news release from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
The Sheriff’s Department reported that law enforcement officers responded to a mobile home in San Juan Capistrano, California, on July 9 for a domestic violence report.
Upon arrival at the residence, officers discovered Ronald, Antoinette, and the dog deceased, with the scene being described as “horrific.”
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Shortly after the discovery of the bodies, deputies were informed that a “bloody male” was seen chasing a maintenance worker from the mobile home community and reportedly stole the worker’s golf cart.
Gerdvil was located in the golf cart near a local bike trail exit, as per FOX 5 San Diego, where at least one deputy fired shots at him.
He sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to the hospital in critical but stable condition. It is unknown if Gerdvil was in possession of a weapon.
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David Desmond informed FOX 11 that he witnessed Gerdvil engaging in a heated argument with his father the morning before the tragic incident.
“The younger guy was getting in his older father’s face, pointing his finger at him aggressively,” Desmond recounted to the media. “I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he looked extremely angry, while the elderly man appeared calm.”
Another neighbor shared with reporters that Gerdvil had a history of substance abuse and resided with his parents.
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Gerdvil, presently hospitalized, will face charges for two counts of homicide upon his medical discharge, authorities confirmed.