Indiana man charged with killing father claims self-defense

Keywords Courts / DeKalb County / Murder
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A northeast Indiana man charged with killing his father alleges he fired the fatal shots because he feared for his life.

The (Fort Wayne) Journal Gazette reports that 20-year-old Branston Secrest was charged with murder Thursday.

Authorities say he shot 45-year-old Keith Allen Secrest on Tuesday afternoon. Police found the father in the bed of his Garrett home. The son was arrested hours later.

The Journal Gazette cites DeKalb Superior Court records of interviews with the suspect. Branston Secrest says his father accused him of stealing his bike and started choking him. He described shooting his dad 13 times.

Police found a note meant for Secrest's mother instructing her not to enter the room where Keith Allen Secrest was shot. It read, "Don't go in there Mom call 911."
 

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