A Roan Mountain man shot and killed his stepfather on the back porch of his residence Friday morning after he said his stepfather threatened to break into his house with an ax and cut off his and his wife’s head, according to police.
The initial investigation by the Carter County Sheriff’s Department indicated the man was trying to break into the home when he was shot by the homeowner.
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Parker allegedly threatened the Townsons saying “he had an ax and was going to cut their heads off,” after he had broken through the back door. Townson had a rifle in the residence and he used it to shoot and kill Parker, according to the sheriff’s department release.
Lt. Johnson talked with the Townsons and learned that Parker was the stepfather of Mr. Townson. Townson told him Parker had been to his house around noon and had borrowed $40 and then left.
Townson told Johnson he encountered Parker again when he went to his mother’s residence at 4:30 p.m. He said he was checking on her because of a recent incident between Parker and his mother.
During the encounter, Townson said Parker became very confrontational and very belligerent. Townson said he left and when he returned to his house he found his driveway was blocked by his mother’s personal property that Parker had thrown out of his mother’s residence.
While Mr. and Mrs. Townson were picking the items up from the driveway, Townson said Parker came up to the porch and began challenging them. They left in order to avoid a confrontation.
Townson said he and his wife went to bed at 10:15 p.m. and woke to the sound of Parker beating on the side of the home and back door, yelling and threatening them. Townson told Johnson he tried to ignore his stepfather in hopes he would leave, but instead, he heard the sound of glass in the rear door breaking and heard Parker threatening that he had an ax and was going to cut their heads off.
Townson went to his gun cabinet but was not able to find the key. He broke the glass out and retrieved a Remingnton bolt action .22 long rifle. He said he went to the kitchen, within view of the rear door and began warning Parker not to come any further into the home.
After several warnings, Townson told Johnson that Parker raised an ax and began advancing toward him, at which point Townson fired at him. Parker raised the ax again and Townson fired again, striking Parker in the head. He said Parker went down but attempted to get up again, at which point Townson fired again, striking him in the head.
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Sheriff Mathes said the results of the preliminary investigation lead him to believe the shooting was in self defense.
