Retired Texas judge and his wife, both 74, are shot dead by their son, Seth Bryan Carnes, after he said his mom tried putting sleeping pill in his mouth
- Seth Bryan Carnes, 45, was arrested and charged with murder in the shooting deaths of his parents, Alfred “Burt” Carne and Susan H. Carnes – both 74
- Seth Carnes allegedly admitted to the double murders when police arrived at the house to arrest him; officers found a shotgun next to Alfred
- Carnes said he committed the shooting and told investigators he believed his mother was trying to put a sleeping pill in his mouth and he didn’t want to take it.
A retired Texas judge and his wife were shot dead by their adult son after he refused to take a sleeping pill.
Seth Bryan Carnes, 45, was arrested Monday evening and charged with murder in the deaths of former Williamson County Judge Alfred “Burt” Carnes and Susan Carnes, both 74.
Police say Carnes admitted to the double murder of his parents just before midnight on Monday because he did not want to take a sleeping pill.
Carnes appeared to be in a daze when he was arrested by the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office northeast of Austin. He was aware that he had shot his parents with a Remington 870 shotgun that had been left on the bedside table of his parents’ converted garage where he lived.
Seth Carnes reportedly admitted to police the double murder of his parents in their Texas home
Seth Bryan Carnes, 45, was arrested and charged with capital murder in the shooting deaths of his parents, retired judge Alfred “Burt” Carnes (pictured) and Susan H. Carnes – both 74
Carnes told police he thought his mother was trying to put a sleeping pill in his mouth that he didn’t want to take.
Charging documents seen by Fox 7 give no reason for shooting his mother other than the sleeping pill.
When asked about the reason for shooting his father, Carnes said, “I was just looking for something and thought I would finish the job.”
Carnes’ daughter was the one who called 911 and told the operator how her father had shot her grandfather.
When officers arrived on the scene, they found Carnes, who was coming home from Georgetown, Texas, with one hand up and the other holding a coffee mug.
When officers arrived on the scene, they found Carnes, who was from Georgetown, Texas, walking home with one hand up and the other holding a coffee mug.
Williamson County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after finding the two bodies in a home
Officers found Alfred Carnes’ body dead on the living room floor. Susan Carnes’ body was found in her son’s bedroom
He allegedly immediately told the police that he had just killed his parents.
Officers found Alfred Carnes’ body dead on the living room floor. A bullet casing and a shotgun were found nearby.
He had injuries to his elbow, inner forearm and the left side of his ribcage.
Susan Carnes’ body was found in her son’s bedroom after being shot in the left shoulder and collarbone.
“The preliminary investigation indicates that the murders resulted from a disagreement that escalated into domestic violence and death,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Seth Carnes is now being held in the Williamson County Jail without bond. Capital murder is punishable by life in prison or the death penalty in the state of Texas.
Alfred Carnes was the son of an FBI agent and came from a family of several law enforcement officers, including a Texas Ranger and a Border Patrol agent.
He retired from the 368th District Court in 2013 after 24 years on the bench.
His wife, Susan Carnes, was a retired elementary school teacher described by a family friend as a “pillar of the community.”
“This deeply disturbing incident has sent shock waves through our community, especially considering Alfred “Burt” Carnes’ esteemed position as a retired county judge,” said Commander John Foster of the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family affected by this heartbreaking event.”