Authorities arrested a 37-year-old Florida man Monday for allegedly murdering his teenage son with a saw, according to WPLG Local 10.
Stephen Thomas Rodda allegedly killed his 16-year-old son, Stephen Lee Rodda, who was living with his grandfather. The suspect has an extensive criminal record, the outlet noted.
UNTHINKABLE CRIME: A Florida man is facing murder charges after deputies say he killed his 16-year-old son with a saw. https://t.co/eCa8WEAZVB
— WPLG Local 10 News (@WPLGLocal10) September 5, 2023
When the grandfather returned home after visiting his wife in a rehabilitation center Monday, his son told him, “I killed someone. You may need to call the police.” Upon entering his home, he found his grandson “unresponsive in a pool of blood,” per the arrest affidavit from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
“The victim suffered a deep laceration to the underside of his left arm, lacerations to his left eyebrow and left ear, superficial lacerations to his abdomen and three deep lacerations to the back of his head,” the affidavit noted.
The suspect had fled the scene when police arrived but was caught shortly after and charged with first-degree murder. The affidavit states that he “showed no remorse or concern for the killing of his son.” (RELATED: REPORT: Police Arrive To Find Three Young Children With Gunshot Wounds Outside Home, Arrest Father)
“We lost a great young man today,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said, per Inside Edition. “And we’ve got an evil, evil man in custody, and we’re going to do our best to see he spends the rest of his life in prison.”