Southern Indiana man allegedly killed, mutilated his father

MITCHELL, Ind. (AP) — A southern Indiana man allegedly killed his father, whose mutilated body was found outside the home they shared, authorities said.

Shawn Hays, 53, of Mitchell faces nine felony charges, including murder, battery and abuse of a corpse, in the death of Rodney E. Hays, 73, The Herald-Times reported.

Lawrence County Sheriff’s deputies were called Tuesday to the men’s Mitchell home after a 911 caller requested a welfare check on Rodney Hays. When deputies arrived, they had to prevent Shawn Hays from leaving the scene in a pickup truck, according to a probable cause affidavit.

After Hays refused to leave the truck, the deputies noticed a shotgun on the seat next to him and while one deputy distracted him, the other grabbed the gun and he was handcuffed after a struggle.

Officers then found Rodney Hays dead in front of the home, with apparent gunshot wounds to his head and chest. An autopsy was pending.

Following his arrest, Hays allegedly told investigators that the dead individual was not his father but a “robot that looks like a human,” according to the affidavit.

Hays is being held at the Lawrence County Jail in Bedford ahead of a Tuesday initial hearing. Online court records do not list an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Mitchell is located about 75 miles (120 kilometers) southwest of Indianapolis.