78-year-old man admits shooting son over money dispute

An elderly Texas man has been detained after admitting to shooting his son this week, state authorities report.

Michael Vernie Owens, 78, is charged with murder in connection with the death of his 37-year-old son, Michael Joseph Owens, as mentioned by the Lubbock County Sheriff's Office.

The event took place on Wednesday night at a residence on 126th Street in Lubbock, as noted by the sheriff's office. Law enforcement responded at approximately 7:20pm after the alleged shooter himself made a 911 call reporting the gunfire.

During the emergency call, it is claimed that the older Owens admitted to dispatch that he had shot and killed his son, as per law enforcement information.

Officers arrived at the large ranch style home situated on the well-manicured, tree-lined street to discover the younger Owens deceased with a gunshot wound to the head, as per court papers reviewed by Lubbock’s NBC affiliate KCBD.

Following the find, Michael Vernie Owens approached the officers, identifying himself as the deceased's father, law enforcement stated.

The accused recounted a narrative to explain the tragic situation, investigators reported. 

According to officials, Michael Vernie Owens claimed his son had been withdrawing his Social Security payments from the bank for several months. 

He added that his son had repeatedly threatened him and had occasionally physically assaulted him in the past.

No instances of these alleged assaults by the son on the father had been reported, as stated by the sheriff's office.

"I'm going to kill you," the son reportedly threatened the father, as recounted to the deputies by the defendant. 

Yet, this threatening statement reportedly became so routine "that it lost its significance," mentioned the defendant.

On the day his son died, Michael Vernie Owens allegedly informed officers he went to open a new bank account to secure his money, preventing his son from accessing it.

After returning from the bank, his son reportedly confronted him near an RV on the property, mentioning he was aware of the bank visit, as claimed by the defendant. The same threatening remark followed, he commented.

This instance, he claimed, was different as it involved action.

The defendant stated that his son murmured: "I'm going to kill you" and made an aggressive move towards him, according to legal documents. At that moment, the older Owens used his gun to shoot his son in the head.

"I think I just lost control," Michael Vernie Owens supposedly said to detectives. "Either I lost it or just couldn't take it any longer."

The defendant is held at the Lubbock County Detention Center with bond set at $250,000, based on sheriff's office records.