A man in Arizona, who has struggled with mental health issues, is accused of murdering his parents after claiming he believed they were drugging him. He reportedly called 911 to confess to the acts.
Jonathan Turk, 29, allegedly told dispatchers, “I’ve murdered my parents with a hammer and a knife,” and indicated he would be waiting outside for the police to arrive.
According to court documents, the tragic incident occurred at their home in Peoria, a suburb of Phoenix, where Turk is said to have first attacked his father, Fraser “Scott” Turk, 63, before severely injuring his mother, Tina Turk, 56, with a hammer.
A state prosecutor referred to the event as an “extremely violent and brutal murder” during Turk’s court appearance this week.
When police arrived, they found Turk waiting outside as he had indicated. Inside, they discovered his father’s body on the stairs and his mother’s in the master bedroom, with the murder weapon concealed in a trash can.
Reports indicate that the couple had previously expressed concerns about their son’s mental state, having filed several complaints regarding his behavior.
The state attorney shared that there are ongoing concerns regarding Turk’s mental health, noting that he had filed multiple mental health petitions in the past, including three in just this year.
This week, Turk was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder, with the possibility of the death penalty in Arizona for premeditated murder.
Prosecutors warned that Turk presents a “significant danger to the community” and he has been held on a $2 million cash bail.
The couple, who had been married for three decades, were described as a model couple by friends, who expressed their sorrow and emphasized the love and kindness they shared.
One friend, Rob Cagnetta, shared on social media that they were unforgettable exemplars of kindness and commitment, marking their untimely deaths with profound loss.
