James Banks: Florida man suspected of dismembering victim found dead with self-inflicted gunshot wound on Thanksgiving day
TAMPA, FLORIDA: Florida authorities have found chopped-up body parts in the trunk of a car and a homicide suspect with a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Thanksgiving Day. The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office responded to an urgent welfare check at the scene of a suspected murder, police said in a Facebook post.
After the authorities searched the perimeter of the home, they discovered a butcher knife in the backyard, along with blood and drag marks, CBS News reports.
What did the authorities find inside the murder house?
Sheriff’s deputies then made entry into the home and found suspect Jonathan Dimick Sr, 75, unresponsive with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the abdomen, the sheriff’s office said. He died from his injuries at the hospital. Deputies then found the dismembered body of James Banks, 67, in the trunk of his own car upon further investigation, police authorities said.
What did the law enforcement officers say?
“The scene our deputies responded to was absolutely shocking. It is rare that a case this horrific occurs in Citrus County, but this is what we prepare for,” Sheriff Mike Prendergast said in a statement.
“It is truly unfortunate that our suspect will never be prosecuted for this brutal crime. However, thanks to the caller’s courage and our team’s quick response, Mr Banks’ family can begin their grieving process with the knowledge that no one will ever again suffer by the hands of Mr Dimick.”
The sheriff’s office did not say what the relationship, if any, between Dimick and Banks was, or what preceded the killing.
Nebraska father arrested on Thanksgiving Day for fatally shooting son
Meaww previously reported that a father in Nebraska was taken into custody after shooting and killing his son. The incident occurred when the father became suspicious that his son was attempting to steal his car upon the activation of the vehicle's alarm.
Will McDonald, a 47-year-old resident of Omaha, was apprehended by officers from the Omaha Police Department on the evening of Thanksgiving Day when they arrived at the crime scene around 11.30 pm. As reported by ABC affiliate KETV, law enforcement discovered Kendrick, the 10-year-old son of McDonald, with a gunshot injury.
They promptly transported him to a nearby hospital, where Omaha Police Captain Jeremy Christensen subsequently affirmed in a statement that the boy succumbed to the injuries he had sustained.
Captain Christensen summarized the situation with a single word, stating, "Tragic; in one word, it's extremely tragic." McDonald is now confronting charges related to criminal homicide, weapon use, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
"He was taken into custody and booked for criminal homicide, use of a weapon to commit a felony, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person," Christensen elaborated.