- Joseph Gerdvil, 41, is accused of murdering and decapitating his parents and dog
An elderly couple and their dog were allegedly decapitated by their own son, who police say fled the scene of the crime in his California mobile home park covered in blood.
Officials with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said they responded to a report of a “domestic incident” around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.
When detectives arrived at the scene in the San Juan Mobile Estates neighborhood of San Juan Capistrano, they found what they described as a “horrific scene, including the decapitated and mutilated bodies” of an elderly man and woman “as well as the couple’s decapitated dog.”
Police have now identified the victims as Antoinette Gerdvil, 79, and her husband Ronald Gerdvil, 77.
They are believed to have been murdered by their 41-year-old son, Joseph Gerdvil, who lived in the mobile home with his parents and was reportedly found covered in blood nearby.
Joseph Gerdvil, 41, is accused of murdering and beheading his parents, Antoinette, 79, and Ronald, 77, and their dog on Tuesday morning
Investigators said they found a “horrific scene, including the decapitated and mutilated bodies” of an elderly man and woman “as well as a decapitated dog belonging to the couple”
Officers explained that minutes after they found the gruesome scene, they received reports of a “bloody man” chasing a maintenance worker in the same trailer park.
Police now allege that Joseph stole the maintenance worker’s golf cart, after which an unknown officer found him near a bike path and shot him multiple times.
He was treated at the scene until Orange County Fire Department arrived and transported him to a local hospital. His condition is critical but stable.
Once he is medically cleared, the 41-year-old will be arrested on two counts of murder, according to the sheriff’s office, and will likely face additional charges and enhanced sentences.
The motive for the brutal beheadings remains unclear and authorities have not explained what prompted the officer to shoot Joseph.
Neighbors have described the family as friendly and quiet
But neighbor David Desmond said he had seen Joseph fighting with his father the day before.
He described to Fox 11 how the younger Gerdvil looked ‘in his face’ and ‘angry’ on Monday when he confronted his father.
Another neighbor, Bob Demario, also claimed that Joseph “had a drug addiction.”
“That’s why he lived there and that’s why they kept him there,” Demario claimed.
Joseph posted a number of lewd messages about Jehovah’s Witnesses online and posted discordant music on YouTube, including one on Monday titled Shots Fired and another called Pope on a Rope, which depicts the pope being hanged.
Others described the family as friendly and calm.
“The woman who lived there walked her dog around the neighborhood all the time,” Tammy Pavese said. “Everybody knew who he was.”
Victoria Alford also said that Antoinette and Ronald were a “very sweet couple.”
“And to be so tragically murdered at that age by your own son is just tragic, period,” she said.