Dad kills son, watches ‘religious videos’ for 12 hours before calling 911, PA cops say
A Pennsylvania man accused of killing his son said he watched religious videos for hours afterward, prompting him to call 911, police told news outlets.
Police in East Union Township received a call about a shooting at a home in Sheppton at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, the department said in a news release.
When officers arrived, 67-year-old John F. Gustites was waiting for them, sitting in a chair on the porch, according to records obtained by WFMZ. Gustites knew they were coming, police said, because he’d made the 911 call himself.
Police found the body of John A. Gustites, the man’s 42-year-old son, in a room on the second floor of the house, the station reported.
Investigators determined the victim had been killed at about 8 a.m., or 12 hours before 911 was called, according to the police release.
The department reached out to Pennsylvania State Police to assist in the investigation.
John F. Gustites told state troopers he awoke that morning to his son chasing a cat in the house, WBRE reported. A short time later, the son demanded the keys to the family car, and the two men fought about it until his father left the room, according to police.
Police said he returned with a .357 magnum handgun, the station reported. His son grabbed a screwdriver and John F. Gustites is accused of shooting him in the face.
The 67-year-old said he doesn’t remember firing the revolver, but told troopers he watched “religious videos” all day after the killing, saying the videos are what ultimately pushed him to call police, according to WBRE.
Gustites was arrested by state police and is facing charges including murder, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and simple assault, court records show.
East Union Township is a roughly 110-mile drive northwest from Philadelphia.
This story was originally published September 30, 2024 at 12:01 PM with the headline "Dad kills son, watches ‘religious videos’ for 12 hours before calling 911, PA cops say."