A 78-year-old man in Lubbock, Texas, has been charged with murder after admitting to shooting his 37-year-old son in the head. The incident followed a confrontation outside an RV on their property. The father called 911 himself to report the shooting.
Michael Vernie Owens faces a murder charge in connection with the death of his son, Michael Joseph Owens, according to the Lubbock County Sheriff's Office. The shooting occurred Wednesday evening around 7:20 p.m. at a residence on 126th Street. Deputies responded to a 911 call from the father, who admitted to the act upon their arrival. They found the younger Owens dead from a gunshot wound to the head, court documents obtained by KCBD show. The elder Owens approached deputies, identified himself as the victim's father, and provided his account. He told investigators that his son had been withdrawing Social Security funds from his bank account for months and had threatened and assaulted him previously, though no prior reports were filed. On the day of the incident, Owens visited a bank to open a new account and transfer his money. Upon returning home, his son confronted him outside an RV on the property, repeating the threat, 'I'm going to kill you,' and allegedly moving toward him. That's when Owens said he shot his son. 'I think I snapped,' or 'I either snapped or had enough,' the father told detectives, per the sheriff's office. Owens is held at the Lubbock County Detention Center on $250,000 bond.