A husband and wife were attacked in Merrillville early Sunday morning, and the man died. Their son is in custody and has been charged with murder.
At before 2 a.m., officers responded to a 911 call in the 7400 block of Hendricks Street from a woman who said her husband and herself were being stabbed.
When cops arrived on the scene, they were met by the suspect, who was departing the home with his hands raised, according to police.
He was brought into custody. According to court documents, their son, Jason Whitaker, who lived there, was charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery, and four charges of domestic battery.
Officers raided the home and discovered the husband, Orell Whitaker, 74, dead and his wife in severe condition. The woman was stabilized and taken to Franciscan Health in Crown Point.
According to court filings, Whitaker and his mother began arguing after the son repeatedly turned off their furnace.
Whitaker allegedly attacked her with a cast-iron pan before stabbing his mother. According to documents, his father ran in to defend his wife and was also stabbed.
Merrillville police found him dead in the basement.
Whitaker, who was supposedly diagnosed with schizophrenia, was denied bail and is still in detention.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline number is 1-800-799-7233.
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