An Indiana man is accused of beheading his father, Erich Winnecke, and carrying the severed head in a plastic bag outside the family home.
Bryce Winnecke, 33, was taken into custody on Friday after a prolonged standoff with law enforcement, facing charges of murder and abuse of a corpse.
His mother, Anne Winnecke, contacted authorities regarding her son’s “delusional” actions, particularly after she noticed Bryce had fled their Jeffersonville home armed with a knife. She mentioned feeling “excited” but also concerned during the incident.
Anne called police around 10 a.m., expressing fears that Bryce might have harmed Erich while trying to reach him.
Text messages and statements referenced in a court affidavit reveal ongoing tensions between Bryce and his father, though the specifics of their conflicts were unclear.
When police arrived around 10:16 a.m., they encountered Bryce outside with a bag containing what appeared to be a human head.
After an hour and a half, officers returned with a search warrant and entered the home. Following blood trails led them to the master bedroom, where they discovered Erich’s headless body along with an abandoned knife.
The scene indicated a significant struggle had taken place, as detailed in court documents.
Authorities then responded to Anne’s residence, where they engaged in a tense four-hour standoff with Bryce.
Upon his arrest, officers located the severed head inside the home, confirmed to belong to Erich.
The timeline remains unclear regarding how long Erich had been deceased when law enforcement arrived.
Surveillance footage captured Bryce leaving the house late on August 13th, holding a long object just before midnight.
On Friday morning, further video evidence showed authorities observing Bryce exiting with a sizeable object in a plastic bag.
Bryce is currently held at Clark County Jail and is set to appear in court on Tuesday, with prosecutors reportedly pursuing a life sentence.
